Bound, Bonded and Betrayed
by ShenLong1
Summary: Heero is the eldest son of the King of Colonia. His 21st birthday is approaching and as tradition dictates his betrothed is soon to arrive. However he is also bound by tradition to select his own personal slave. The events that unfold lead him down a path that not only tests his sanity but his humanity and love as well.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time and return them a whole lot happier ne? Written for pleasure not profit.

Pairings; 1x2, 3x4, 1xR, 2xR

Warnings: Sap, angst, bondage, slavery, Yaoi, Lemon, lime, het, violence, fluff, AU, OOC.

Rating: NC 17

Archive: gundam-wing-diaries. 150m. com gundam-wing-diaries. foreverfandom. net

Author: ShenLong

Summary: Heero is the eldest son of the King of Colonia. His 21st birthday is approaching and as tradition dictates his betrothed is soon to arrive. However he is also bound by tradition to select his own personal slave. The events that unfold lead him down a path that not only tests his sanity but his humanity and love as well.

Author's Note: This fic was started back in 2004 and has languished on my hard drive ever since, only sporadically being added to when I have the time (and the muse the inclination). Updates will be far between, but rest assured, it **will** be finished. Feed back is most welcome as are honest critiques. Flames will be dealt with as I deal with all flames with sarcasm.

"Bound, Bonded and Betrayed"

Commenced July 2004 first published January 2008 on the GW Diaries site

.

Prologue

Heero gazed out of the window across the sprawling lawns of the castle grounds to the sweeping forest beyond and sighed softly to himself. A knock at his door drew him from his thoughts and he turned, bidding the visitor to enter his chambers.

A small blonde head appeared around the door and a gentle voice accompanied the entry. "Prince Heero, sir. Your father wishes to speak with you in the throne room."

Heero gave the kneeling slave a warm smile. "Thank you, Quatre. Please tell my father I will be there shortly."

The blonde slave rose from his knees, keeping his head bowed. "As you command, Prince Heero." He turned and was gone, closing the door behind him.

Heero glanced out of the window once more before taking his cape from the back of the chair and donning it. Quickly he left his chambers and headed for the throne room.

He knocked respectfully on the door and hearing the deep voice bid him to enter, he did so. His father sat behind a large desk, papers strewn about. The throne room, as it was called, was not in fact the room where the king's throne resided; many years ago, the royal throne had graced the room, but Prince Heero's grandfather had had the room converted into an office and the royal thrones had been moved to the great hall where the banquets and balls were usually held. Heero agreed that it seemed a more fitting place.

You wished to speak with me, father?" Heero said as he approached the desk.

"Yes, my son. Please, be seated." The king waved to a chair and Heero sat down, his cobalt eyes wandering across the desk and traveling up his father's torso before settling upon looking at a spot on the wall behind his father's left ear. King Treize finished his writing and set the implement down. He linked his fingers together and turned to gaze at his first born son. "Heero, as you are aware, your twenty-first birthday is approaching."

Heero nodded.

"And as heir to the throne, once you achieve that age, it is required that you marry and produce your own heir."

Heero nodded again. He was well aware of the rules and traditions of the royal family and as such, respected them.

"Your bride has been selected for you and will arrive in a month. I'm sure you will approve of the choice. She is a well-bred woman with intellect; sound of body and mind and quite pretty too."

Heero couldn't help but think they were discussing his future wife as one would discuss a piece of horse flesh.

"Her name is Relena and she comes from the Peacecraft line, the rulers of the Sanq Kingdom," his father continued. "I expect you to make her welcome and spend time getting to know her before your marriage, which will take place two weeks after her arrival."

"Yes, father."

Treize paused for a moment and studied his son. His voice softened a little as he delivered his next speech. "As you are also aware, you may select for yourself a personal slave..."

For the first time since the conversation began, Heero actually looked at his father.

"Just as custom and tradition dictates that your bride is selected for you so you are entitled to select your own personal slave, unlike your younger brother whose slave was picked for him. Bear in mind though that your slave will also be expected to serve your queen."

Heero mulled that thought over in his head. While he really had no objection to his future queen being selected for him, it was a comforting thought to know he was free to choose his own personal slave, someone who would tend his every need and be a companion just as much as a slave.

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

Treize's words jolted Heero back to the here and now. "No, father, I don't."

"Then may I suggest that we announce to the kingdom that you will be looking for one?"

Heero thought about the suggestion for a moment and then replied with a suggestion of his own. "I think an announcement would be fine, however..."

Treize quirked an eyebrow in question.

"However, I do not wish to see endless lines of potential slaves presented to me here at the castle; rather I would prefer to ride out to the villages and search for my slave myself."

King Treize looked thoughtful for a moment and then smiled at his son. "So be it. I will send messengers out immediately to inform the kingdom of your intention. When do you wish to begin your search?"

Heero thought for a moment. "I will begin in two days."

"Very well," Treize nodded to his son, indicating that the conversation was finished.

Prince Heero stood and gave a respectful bow before exiting the room.

~#~

tbc...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time to play with and return them a whole lot happier, ne? Written for pleasure not profit.

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Sap, angst, bondage, slavery, Yaoi, Lemon, lime, het, violence, dark, fluff, AU, OOC.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 1xR, 2xR

Summary: Heero is the eldest son of the King of Colonia. His 21st birthday is approaching and as tradition dictates his betrothed is soon to arrive. However he is also bound by tradition to select his own personal slave. The events that unfold lead him down a path that not only tests his sanity but his humanity and love as well.

Author's Note: This fic was started back in 2004 and has languished on my hard drive ever since, only sporadically being added to when I have the time (and the muse the inclination) . Updates will be far between, but rest assured, it **will** be finished. Feed back is most welcome as are honest critiques. Flames will be dealt with as I deal with all flames – with sarcasm.

Commenced July 2004 – first published January 2008 on the Gundam Wing Diaries

"Bound, Bonded and Betrayed"

by ShenLong

Chapter 1

Prince Trowa found his brother in the training room of the castle. He leaned upon the wall, arms folded as he watched the heir parrying with his bodyguard. The clash of blades and grunts of bodies, as limbs bore the brunt of the mock fight, permeated the air. They were evenly matched, Trowa noted.

Suddenly the raven haired bodyguard ducked, swung, then pivoted and flicked his arms, effectively catching Heero off guard and sending his sword flying across the room to land with a clatter on the stone.

Prince Heero bowed in acknowledgment of the defeat. The dark haired bodyguard bowed in return and sheathed his sword before speaking.

"You have improved vastly, sire."

"Thank you, Wufei. I owe it all to your patient teaching." Prince Heero retrieved his sword from the floor and placed it back in its scabbard before returning it to the chest that contained all the practice swords.

"Even I would say you have improved," said Prince Trowa as he pushed away from the wall and approached his brother. He nodded to the bodyguard. "I should get you to give me some more lessons sometime, Wufei."

Wufei bowed politely. "It would be my pleasure, Prince Trowa."

Trowa turned his attentions back to his brother. "What's this I hear that you are to search for a slave?"

Heero gave his brother a smile. "Let me get cleaned up and I'll come to your chambers and tell you all about it."

"Sire, if you no longer need me I will return to the palace guard." Wufei bowed.

"Thank you, Wufei. You are free to go." The three men left the training room and separated; Heero to bathe and change, Trowa to await his brother's audience and Wufei to supervise the palace guard.

# # #

A short while later and feeling much refreshed, Prince Heero knocked softly on the door to his brother's chambers. A quiet voice bade him enter and so he stepped inside. Trowa was seated in a large chair by the open fireplace reading a book. Quatre, his slave, was settled at his feet, head resting on his master's thigh and dozing lightly as Trowa's hand absently brushed through his golden locks from time to time.

Heero smiled at the scene; for a brief moment he envisioned himself in a similar position, future wife sitting opposite, busy with her needlework, pleasure slave at his feet while he relaxed.

Trowa motioned for his brother to take a seat and marking his place, he set the book down upon the table. Continuing to pet his slave he turned his green eyes towards his brother. "Now, what's all this I hear of you acquiring a slave?"

Heero reclined into the plushness of the furniture and faced his brother. "Father has selected a wife for me. I am to marry just after my birthday."

Trowa nodded. "I hear she is quite beautiful."

"So father says." Heero kept his gaze firmly fixed on his brother. "I have also been informed that I may select my own pleasure slave."

"That's good." Trowa's fingers caressed his own slave a little more possessively. "Do you know what you want?"

Heero pondered that question for a moment. He opened his mouth and the words came out softly. "No, I don't." His eyes flicked from Trowa to the slave at his feet and he gave a gentle smile. "I can only hope."

Trowa nodded in understanding, caressing the blonde slave again in a possessive manner. "Where do you intend to find this slave?"

"Father is sending word to the surrounding villages. I will begin my search in two days."

"Ahhh..."

"Trowa?"

"Yes?"

"Would you accompany me?"

"Of course."

# # #

Heero sighed and turned to his bodyguard, shaking his head. He gathered up the reins and turned the horse's head to the pathway where his brother awaited. Trowa cocked an eyebrow in question. Heero gave him a look that clearly said he would talk once they were moving.

Wufei thanked the villagers who immediately began to chatter amongst themselves as he rode away. A little way down the track, Trowa spoke up.

"So, what was it this time?"

Heero just sighed.

"We have one more village to visit before calling it a day, your highness." The bodyguard spoke the words softly.

"I'm sorry," Heero said.

"What for?" Wufei asked.

"For dragging you both all over the countryside."

Trowa snorted. "You didn't think you would find your pleasure slave in the first village, did you?"

Heero shook his head. "No, I didn't." He looked down for a moment. "But I didn't think it would take this long either."

Wufei gave the prince a rare smile. "We have only been looking for four days."

"I know, but I can't help feeling that I'm never going to find what I'm looking for before my marriage, and after I'm married... well.…" Heero dug his heels into the horse's sides and the animal leapt forward into a gallop. Heero needed to feel the wind rush through his hair, to clear his mind somewhat. The steady thrumming of hooves soothed his troubled mind a little and enabled him to think.

Just what was it he was looking for in a slave? He knew they had to be pleasing to the eye, obedient and intelligent. He'd lost count of the number of slaves he'd been presented with at the many villages he'd visited so far. After a while they had all blurred into one; and none were suitable. They either lacked in one or all of the attributes he was looking for. Granted many of them were certainly beautiful, but as soon as they opened their mouths either their lack of intelligence showed, their voice was too high pitched or they were too gushy.

So intent on his thoughts, Heero didn't see the small cart and the two people up ahead until it was too late. He yanked on the reins but the horse was traveling too fast to stop in such a short distance. The animal stumbled, quickly regained its footing and drew its haunches underneath itself, launching its body into the air in an effort to jump the obstacle. With most of its impulsion having been lost in the stumble, it only just managed to leave the ground in time, forelegs neatly tucked underneath but the hind legs trailed out behind and connected with the cart, unbalancing it and knocking both the cart and the person pulling it to the ground.

The horse pecked on landing, tipping forward and throwing its head into the air to counterbalance the awkward landing, catching Heero on the nose and causing it to bleed. Heero managed to stay somewhat in the saddle with the cat leap, pitching forward but smacking his nose against the horse's muscular neck. His eyes started to water with the blow and he grabbed his handkerchief to staunch the flow of blood from his nose, slowing and turning the horse at the same time to see what damage had been done and if the cart and the people were all right.

Wufei and Trowa saw the people and the cart before Heero did but the wind whipped their voices away as they tried to warn the prince. Slowing their own horses' pace they could only watch in shock as the events unfolded before them. As Heero's horse clipped the small wagon so the person pulling it was knocked to the ground, the person following behind the cart had seen what was about to happen and yelled to the other person, but it was too late. The cart toppled and the goods went tumbling over the forest track.

As Wufei and Trowa brought their steeds to a stop they watched in stunned silence as the man at the rear of the cart ran forward to the one that was struggling to regain their footing. Instead of checking to see if they were all right the man began screaming and yelling.

Heero brought his horse around and headed back to see what damage had been caused and immediately felt his blood boil. There on the ground, surrounded by spoilt fruit and vegetables, a person cowered. He couldn't see the face as it was hidden by a curtain of thick hair. The man standing over the slave was shouting obscenities as his hand raised a whip and brought it down hard against the back of the cowering creature.

The cry of pain that came from the crouched figure echoed through the forest. Heero dug his heels again into the horse's flanks, urging it forward as he saw the hand raise the whip again, ready to strike another blow to the unfortunate creature.

Wufei beat him though.

Seeing the hand poised ready to strike again, Wufei was off his mount and beside the man in a flash, his hand gripped the wrist tightly as Heero drew rein next to them.

"Enough!" Heero commanded. "It was an accident. If you want to blame anyone then blame me, for I was the cause!"

The man looked angrily at Wufei who held him in an iron grip before switching his gaze to the young prince, recognizing the youth now that he was closer. "If you will excuse me, sire, this slave is nothing but trouble. I shouted for him to stop but as usual he ignored me. He's insolent, disobedient and surly, and as such, should be punished.

Heero had dismounted by this time and tucked his handkerchief back into his pocket, the nose bleed having ceased. He knelt at the trembling slave's side, vaguely registering the man's words. _The slave was a male? Surely not with all that hair?_ Tentatively he reached a hand forward and lifted the thick, matted curtain aside. The head was bowed though so Heero tucked a finger under the chin and forced the slave to look at him. A heart shaped face with delicate cheekbones, pert nose and huge, luminous eyes stared back at him.

Heero's breath caught. He could clearly see the terror, pain and fear in those eyes; not to mention the unusual color. Heero's mouth opened and the words were spoken before his brain registered the fact. "How much?"

The man blinked and turned to the prince. "I beg your pardon?"

"You were asked how much," Wufei responded.

The man's eyes narrowed and glittered as he saw his chance to make a tidy sum of money and be rid of the devil slave at the same time.

Wufei watched the calculating mind ticking over, fully aware of the man's intent. He growled softly. "It had better be a fair price or you will find yourself decorating the royal dungeons."

The man hesitated for a moment before replying with a figure half his original intent.

Wufei halved that figure again and the man nodded his assent. Reaching into the pocket of his tunic, Wufei removed a small bag and counted out the gold sovereigns, then handed them over to the man.

Heero allowed the slave to lower his head; he looked at Wufei and nodded, leaving Wufei to pay the man. Trowa watched with amusement. Seemed his brother had found his slave whether he knew it or not.

Wufei tucked the bag back into his tunic and turned to his prince. "Sire?"

Heero looked up.

"Let us be on our way and take this creature back to the castle."

Gently Heero moved to clasp the slave's arms and raise him to his feet. The slave didn't resist the action and allowed himself to be drawn into a standing position. Wufei had fetched Heero's horse and now held the animal. "Do you wish for me to carry the slave on my horse or would you rather he accompany you, sire?"

"I'll take him with me," Heero replied. He'd only witnessed the slave's face for a few moments, but felt inexplicably drawn to the creature. Heero was a fair man by nature, believing in punishment only when it was truly deserved. He couldn't stand to see someone hurt or beaten unjustly. He released his hold on the trembling form and took the reins from Wufei. Heero mounted the horse and settled into the saddle, shifting back a bit and motioning to Wufei that he was ready for the slave.

Wufei gently placed his arms around the slave and lifted him from the ground to pass to Heero. As the young man was hoisted into the air so Wufei noted he wore nothing but a thin pair of leggings; the thick, matted hair and large black collar the only covering for his upper body.

Heero arranged the shivering creature in front of him and looked down as Wufei spoke.

"One moment, sire. I fear he is cold." Wufei went to remove his thick cloak and pass it over when Trowa stopped him.

"Here, take mine. I have another."

Heero took the warm garment and wrapped it securely around the shivering slave, pulling the youth closer to his body. "Thank you, brother."

Trowa gave a warm smile. He could read the signals of attraction even if Heero wasn't aware of them.

"Oi! What about this mess?!"

Wufei turned to look at the man whom he'd just paid for the slave. The man was gesturing to the still overturned cart and scattering of fruit and vegetables. "Clean it up yourself," Wufei snarled as he mounted his horse.

The man went to open his mouth again, but one look at the gleaming sword that adorned the body guard's hip and the cold glitter in those black eyes convinced him otherwise.

Wufei turned the horse's head and spurred it forward in the direction of the castle and the two princes just ahead of him.

# # #

Heero held the slave close to his body as the jarring motion of the animal's trot soon gave way to the smoother, rocking gait of the canter. The horse carried them both with ease, settling into the pace and eating up the distance back to the castle with steady strides. Trowa rode just ahead of him with Wufei bringing up the rear. No words were exchanged but each man's mind was occupied with thoughts.

Trowa was eager to get home to his own slave and have the blonde massage his aching muscles. Wufei was still seething with anger at the cruel scene he had witnessed, unable to comprehend that masters could punish slaves for no reason and in such a fashion. It sickened him to think that there were probably more of these sorts of low life people out there. Heero wanted to get back home as quickly as possible and have his new slave taken care of. His sense of compassion burned within and he was determined that this creature wouldn't suffer anymore. As they cantered along so he let himself study the slave in his arms. The thick hair was matted and knotted, so clogged with dirt that Heero couldn't tell what color it was. It didn't seem as if the slave had seen a proper bath in a while either, Heero's nose confirming the fact. The body he held in his arms felt way too thin. His fingers had felt bones jutting under skin when Wufei had lifted the slave to him and he wondered how long it had been since the slave had enjoyed a decent meal.

The trembling was still present and Heero wasn't sure if it was due to shock, fear or the horse's movement.

The castle was within sight now and the forest opened up into the meadows that surrounded the large stone structure. Wufei sped up as Trowa slowed so they could ride three abreast.

"I suggest you let Quatre take care of him," said Trowa, the wind nearly whipping his words away.

Heero thought for a moment before nodding. Trowa was right. Quatre's soft, gentle nature would be a great help to the young slave, especially given the state he was in. While Heero was quite happy to care for the slave himself, it was unheard of for a prince to do anything like that and he really didn't trust the slave master to give the frightened, abused slave the gentle caring he would need.

"Quatre will take good care of him."

Heero turned to his brother. "Thank you."

The rest of the ride continued in silence as the castle loomed before them.

Wrapped tightly in the cocoon of the cloak, the young slave shook with fear. He had no idea where he was being taken or if it would be any better than where he had come from. All his battered mind and body knew was that he'd been bought and sold, and somewhere along the line he'd heard mention of royal dungeons. The pain in his body was far outweighed by the pain of fear in his chest; and yet...

The finger that had raised his face had been strong but not forceful. The eyes and face that he had briefly glimpsed had been calm, gentle even, but hope had long ago abandoned him, fleeing along with his identity when his dignity had been raped. He no longer cared what happened to him. In fact he was more than ready to welcome death if it would put an end to his pain and suffering. Somewhere though a tiny thought niggled at him. Maybe this one would be different, maybe he would be treated a little better here with this master, maybe the beatings wouldn't be so harsh. Maybe he should stop dreaming. Still trembling with shock and cold he burrowed deeper into the warm cloak and arms that surrounded him; might as well savor as much as he could, god knew when he would feel this warm again.

The castle gates were standing open, the guards moving aside to allow the princes' entry. The slave felt the horse's pace slacken and peeked out, His curiosity getting the better of him. The tall stone structure awed him and his heart sped up in fear. He closed his eyes again and hid beneath his shaggy hair. He was sure he would find out all about his new home soon enough.

Quatre had been watching from his master's chambers for the return of the group. He spotted the horsemen approaching and left the room to greet his master. He hated being apart from him and wanted nothing more than to soothe the tired muscles he knew his prince would have. He waited impatiently at the open front door as the group clattered into the small courtyard, grooms running from the stables to take charge of the steeds. As they drew rein so Quatre's eyes noticed the addition to the group and began to smile, only to have it leave his face as quickly as it had arrived. Something was not right. Prince Heero held the bundle carefully. Quatre's brow furrowed, but then his attention was drawn back to his beautiful master as his name was called.

"Quatre, come here please." Trowa noticed his slave waiting for him and felt relieved. He called for him as he dismounted and handed his reins to the waiting stable boy.

Quatre ran down the steps to his master and immediately dropped to his knees, head bowed. "Yes, master?"

Trowa ran a hand through the silky locks and then pulled his slave to a standing position. He reached forwards and placed a gentle kiss to the sweet, pink lips. "Prince Heero has need of your gentle nature."

"Oh?" Quatre's eyes darted to the prince who had by now dismounted, still cradling the bundle in his arms. Quatre turned to face the prince and bowed his head. "How may I be of service, sire?"

Heero stepped forth. "I bought this slave from a man in the forest. He's..." Heero searched for the words.

"The slave was being beaten for circumstances that were not his fault. Prince Heero did a noble thing when he intervened and purchased the slave from his vile master," Wufei finished the sentence that Heero could not.

"Then he is not the one that Prince Heero was seeking?" Quatre asked his master in a quiet voice.

Trowa smiled at his slave. "It may not have been his intention, but I think Heero has found the slave he was looking for."

Quatre nodded and took a step closer to the bundle. "How may I be of service to you and the slave, sire? I am yours to command."

"I have need of your gentle nature and tender compassion. He has been through quite an ordeal I imagine, although I do not know his full story. I wish for you to bathe him and tend to his wounds. Feed him and befriend him. I will carry him to the slave quarters and leave him in your care for now. Tomorrow I will send for both of you." Heero looked at Trowa for conformation that what he had requested of the blonde slave was okay with him.

Trowa nodded. "Take care of him, little one. I will send for you later."

"As you wish, master… sire." Quatre bowed again in respect.

Heero quickly began his assent of the stone steps, eager to get the trembling slave out of the cold wind and taken care of. Trowa and Quatre followed him; Wufei bid them good evening and returned to his own rooms in the soldiers quarters.

Heero moved swiftly through the castle to the slaves' quarters. Opening the door to Quatre's chambers he carried the slave to one of the two beds contained within and gently lay him down. He reached for the top of the cloak and pulled it back a little, exposing the frightened face still hiding under the ragged bangs. "Quatre will tend to you. There is no need for you to be afraid, you are safe here." Heero gave a smile. "I will have audience with you in the morning. Until then, trust Quatre, he will not harm you." As hard as it was to surrender the slave's care, Heero knew he had to leave the young man in the care of Quatre. He was tired himself and still needed to speak with his father. With one last glance he left the slave and headed out to clean himself up before meeting with his king and explaining his new slave.

tbc...

Author's Note; Many thanks to all of you who have read the prologue to this fic and dropped a review. Your comments mean a lot to me and I hope you continue to read. There will be some angst for a little while as we learn more about Duo and his situation, there will also be lemons, limes, romance and drama to come. Despite the warnings and what will occur in this fic, I promise there will be a happy ending.

* hugs and Gundam Pilots *

Shen :-)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time and return them a whole lot happier ne? Written for pleasure not profit.

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Sap, angst, bondage, slavery, Yaoi, Lemon, lime, het, violence, dark, fluff, AU, OOC.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 1xR, 2xR

Archive: gundam-wing-diaries. foreverfandom .net gundam-wing-diaries. 150m. com

Summary: Heero is the eldest son of the King of Colonia. His 21st birthday is approaching and as tradition dictates his betrothed is soon to arrive. However he is also bound by tradition to select his own personal slave. The events that unfold lead him down a path that not only tests his sanity but his humanity and love as well.

Author's Note: This fic was started back in 2004 and has languished on my hard drive ever since, only sporadically being added to when I have the time (and the muse the inclination) . Updates will be far between, but rest assured, it will be finished. Feed back is most welcome as are honest critiques. Flames will be dealt with as I deal with all flames – with sarcasm.

Commenced July 2004 – published on the GW Diaries January 2008

"Bound, Bonded and Betrayed"

January 2008 ShenLong

Chapter 2

Once both princes had left the slave chambers Quatre closed the door and went back to the bundle on the bed. Gently he eased the cloak back until he found the top of a head. He smiled to himself. "You need to come out of there," he said quietly.

The head raised itself a little and a pair of large, violet eyes peeked out at him "Why?" was the soft whisper. He felt safe hidden away inside the thick material, not to mention warm.

"I need to tend to you, clean you up and check you over. Prince Heero said you were hurt."

"It's nothing."

Quatre sighed. "I won't hurt you. I am a slave, the same as you are. Please, trust me?"

The large eyes scanned over the blonde's form, taking in the collar around the throat, bracelets at the wrists and ankles, the loose fitting shirt and pants and the soft slippers adorning the small feet. Raising his gaze he stared into the teal, sincere eyes of the blonde and nodded. He really couldn't refuse. As stated before he was a slave, a slave that had been beaten and sold and now belonged to a new master. The wounds on his back were too raw for him to consider receiving another beating for disobedience, so reluctantly he decided to play along for the moment. At least until he could figure out where he was and what was expected of him now.

Quatre granted him a beaming smile. "Good. Now let me help you out of that cloak and see what shape you're in." Quatre gently removed the cloak from around the trembling form, his eyes widening as he did so. The new slave came into view, partially hidden by that thick curtain of hair. Quatre took note of the bare, scuffed feet and threadbare leggings. He noticed the unclothed chest and glimpsed the thick, tight collar. He lifted the matted hair and drew in a sharp breath. The slave's back was a patchwork of welts, bruises and scars. Dried blood and dirt clung to the skin, along with some of the hair and Quatre felt the young one wince as some of the strands pulled free from the wounds they guarded.

"You poor thing," Quatre murmured, his eyes bright with tears. "How you must have suffered." Having seen enough of the tortured flesh he gently let the matted hair rest back in place. He sat on the bed beside the shaking slave. "Do you have a name?"

Amethyst stared blankly back. _He'd once had a name, but what was it?_ He tried hard to remember. His previous masters hadn't bothered much with names, usually calling him slave, boy or whatever suited their mood. It had been so long since he'd actually been called by his real name that for the life of him he couldn't remember what it was. He looked at the blonde and shook his head. "I can't remember it."

Quatre reached out and gently cupped the bruised cheek. "That's okay, I'm sure it will come to you soon enough. For now I'll call you, 'Angel'."

"Angel?"

Quatre chuckled. "You must surely be some kind of angel to have affected Prince Heero the way you have. In case you didn't hear it before, my name is Quatre."

The abused slave looked shyly at Quatre. "That's a nice name."

Quatre smiled again. "Come on, I'll get you cleaned up and treat those wounds for you." With that, Quatre stood and held out his hand. Angel took it and managed to stand.

"First, we need to bathe you." Quatre began to walk slowly towards another door in the room, Angel followed, a little unsteady on his feet. Quatre kept a hold of the thin hand, letting the slave travel at his own pace, but ready to assist if necessary. He was shocked at the condition of the creature. Aside from the welts and scarring, the general health of the slave didn't look too good. He was very thin and not to mention dirty. Quatre knew this wasn't the slave's fault and he couldn't help but wonder exactly what sort of master the slave had had.

Angel allowed himself to be led towards the door, stumbling occasionally as his battered feet objected to carrying his weight. He did his best to ignore the pain though and then his eyes widened as they passed into the adjoining room and he wished his head was on a swivel so he could see everything at once.

"This is the bathing chamber. Here is where you will cleanse yourself daily." Quatre declined to add that that was only when his master didn't want him to bathe with him. He watched, amused, as the slave looked around in awe.

"Big," was all the slave could say. The room was large, shelves adorned one wall and upon them sat intricate jars containing different colored liquids and crystals. There were also some hardened lumps of who knew what. Angel certainly didn't. He'd never seen soap before. Several folded up pieces of cloth were stacked upon shelves on the other wall and in the center stood a round stone object. It was towards this object that Quatre now led them.

"This is the bathing tub," he said as he paused at the edge and let Angel take a look.

The tub came level with the slave's hips but when he peered inside he could see that it was deeper. It reminded the slave a little of the well he'd used to draw water from, only this one had a bottom that he could see.

Quatre climbed into the tub, dropping a cover over a small hole set in the bottom before climbing out again and reaching for a small wheel. He turned it and water began to pour into the stone structure, steam rising from it as it ran forth.

"How?"

Quatre laughed. "There are a series of hot springs that run beneath and around the castle. The king set his advisors the task of harnessing the warm water and having it channeled directly into the castle. This is the result. Several small tunnels run from the differing springs, each is linked to a type of water wheel. When I turn this wheel it moves the barrier to the tunnel and lets the water run in, covering the hole at the bottom prevents the water from running back out and returning to the spring until we're finished."

The new slave looked mystified by all this.

"Don't think too much about it, Angel. Just relax and enjoy."

"Duo."

Quatre turned around. "Pardon?"

"Duo. I remember; my name, it was Duo."

Quatre smiled, a real heart warming smile. "That's wonderful, Duo."

The slave gave a shy smile of his own in return. "So, what are all these for?" he asked as he pointed to the jars.

"Ahh... Those are special concoctions to clean your hair and body with. They also smell wonderful." Quatre moved over to the shelf and scanned the jars before selecting one and bringing it over to Duo. "Here, smell it," he said as he opened the jar.

Duo sniffed, his eyes widening. "Nice."

"Would you like me to use this one to wash your hair with?"

Duo reached to touch the tangled, matted mess and nodded. He couldn't remember the last time his hair had been washed; nor his body for that matter. He'd been lucky to get so much as drinking water with his last master and even that had been taken from him at times.

Quatre placed the jar by the edge of the tub and turned the small wheel, cutting off the flow of water. The room was enveloped in a fine mist and Quatre quickly selected one of the hard lumps from the shelf, placing it also on the edge of the tub. Once done he began to remove his clothes.

Duo was momentarily shocked. "Ummm... What are you doing, Quatre?"

Quatre gave him a puzzled look. "I'm getting undressed."

"Why?"

"It's a little hard to take a bath with your clothes on, Duo."

"But why are _you_ taking a bath?"

"It will be much easier for me to clean you if I'm in the water too; now hurry up and get undressed, the water won't stay hot forever." Quatre returned to his task.

Duo flushed a little but did as the blonde ordered. While his new master had yet to speak with him and let him know what his duties were going to be, he had told him that Quatre would tend to him and that he was to trust the blonde. Following his slave training, he bent to remove his only article of clothing, his threadbare leggings. He winced as the abused flesh on his back protested the movement, but he managed to remove his clothes. He looked up self consciously, and was surprised to see Quatre already in the tub.

"Come on, Duo."

Gingerly, Duo stepped up the stone steps at the side of the tub and then down the ones on the inside that disappeared into the water. His body shivered as the warm water caressed his skin. He'd never felt anything like it before.

"I take it that you have never had a warm bath before?" Quatre said with an amused expression on his face as he watched Duo's reaction to the warm water.

"Not like this," Duo whispered. "This sure beats the hell out of the duck pond."

"Duck pond?"

"Yeah, that was the only place I was allowed to bathe. It was cold and slimy and not very deep, so I didn't bathe all that often."

Quatre felt his gut twist with that bit of information. How anyone could treat their slave in such a manner was beyond his comprehension. "You will never have to suffer that degradation again, Duo, not while you live here."

Duo sighed in pleasure as the warmth of the water seeped into his bones. He lowered himself until the water covered his chest; a small cry of pain escaped his mouth as the warm water washed over his wounds, causing them to sting.

Quatre was beside him in an instant, voice soothing as he spoke. "The stinging will stop in a moment, Duo; once I have you cleaned up, I'll put a salve on the wounds that will help them to heal and stop the pain as well."

"Thank you," Duo replied as he turned his tear filled eyes to the gentle blonde.

"It's my pleasure, Duo. Now, try to relax while I wash you and then I'll see what I can do with your hair." Quatre led Duo to the side of the bathing tub. "Sit here," he said. "There are stones jutting out under the water to form a small ledge for you to sit on."

Duo did as requested and sat gingerly upon the ledge, he was surprised to find the stone warm against his skin. The soft touch of Quatre though soon brought him from his thoughts.

Quatre reached for Duo's neck and the buckle holding the thick, black collar in place. Gingerly he undid it and peeled the collar from Duo's neck. He did his best to hold the gasp that wanted to escape when he observed the raw, chafed skin of Duo's neck. The collar had been far too tight and rubbed the skin raw in places. Quatre was amazed that the slave had been able to breathe! There was no way he was even going to attempt to put the collar back on the new slave after they had bathed! He tossed the collar over the side of the tub and reached for the small lump of waxy material he'd set down earlier on the side of the tub.

"What's that?" Duo asked as he watched Quatre dip the item into the water and raise it to his skin.

"It's a concoction made up by the royal healer. It helps to remove the dirt and grime. She calls it soap."

"It won't hurt, will it?" Duo had only ever been able to use coarse sand with which to scrub himself in the past and it had grated upon his tender flesh.

"No, it won't hurt, I promise." Quatre had deliberately selected a mild unscented piece, knowing Duo's skin would be raw from the wounds. He raised one of Duo's arms and began to rub gently, the smooth wax of the soap foaming slightly as it worked over the skin. "See?"

Duo looked down and gave a small gasp of surprise. The substance was gentle on his skin yet cleaned away the build up of grime. "Nice," was all he could come up with.

Quatre chuckled. "Just relax and enjoy, Duo. I promise to be gentle."

Duo thought he might as well do as Quatre asked and enjoy the bath. Besides, he still wasn't sure what was happening in his miserable life, so he might as well savor what he could.

Quatre worked the soap over Duo's arms, cleaning thoroughly. He was amazed to see the milky skin appearing from underneath all that dirt. He moved over Duo's chest and abdomen before reaching for a leg. Very carefully he washed the abused feet, softly working the lather over the cuts and bruises.

Despite the tender touches, Duo still winced occasionally. Quatre worked his way up over calf and knee to thighs. He repeated the actions to the other leg before placing the soap on the edge of the tub and turning to Duo. "I only have your back to do and ummm..."

Duo turned his soulful eyes towards the now blushing blonde.

Quatre picked up the soap and placed it in Duo's hand. "I think you should do your, ummm... personal parts yourself. Not that I don't want to... that is, I don't think you want me to be that familiar with you right now."

"Oh." Duo suddenly realized what the blonde meant and flushed himself. Clutching the soap he nodded. "Uh, yeah. I think that would be best." He lowered his hand beneath the water and quickly cleaned his groin.

Quatre turned away to allow Duo some privacy and busied himself with the jars of liquid he'd placed on the tub edge prior to bathing.

"I'm done."

Quatre turned around. "Okay, I'll do your back now and then your hair."

Duo nodded and leaned forwards to allow Quatre easier access to his abused back.

Quatre gently lifted the sodden mass of hair to the side, the water having effectively 'un-glued' those strands that had stuck to the wounds. Quatre's eyes watered as he fully observed the damaged skin. From the shoulders down to where Duo's hips disappeared beneath the water there didn't appear to be any part of the skin that was unblemished. A scattering of bruises ranging in color from a yellow green to deep purple indicated the various stages of healing. Criss crossing fine lines spoke of past healed wounds and standing out starkly were the red welts and fresh wounds, some scabbing over, others still oozing slightly.

"Oh, Duo. How could anyone do such a cruel thing?" Quatre was genuinely horrified with what he saw. Unable to understand how anyone could be so vile as to abuse a slave this way. He'd been fortunate that Trowa had been his first and only master. He'd been raised in the deserts, part of a nomadic tribe and when he reached the age of manhood he'd been presented to the King of Colonia as a gift for allowing the tribe to camp and hunt in the kingdom's many forests as the desert had suffered even less rainfall that usual and so many of the oasis' had dried up. The young Prince Trowa had shown an interest in him and so the king had passed the gift to his youngest son. While Quatre had learnt his role of personal and pleasure slave, he'd made some mistakes and been punished for them, but nothing that amounted to physical blows.

Trowa had punished him in a much better way, preferring to deny the blonde his release and other punishments of a similar nature. Quatre had quickly learnt after a few occasions of suffering from blue balls that it was much better and easier to obey. To punish through denial of pleasure was far more effective than any beating; in Quatre's opinion anyway.

Duo lowered his head as Quatre examined his back. He didn't know what it actually looked like, he only knew what it felt like. He winced and shied away as Quatre began to gently cleanse the wounds.

"I'm sorry, Duo. I'll try to be as gentle as I can but these wounds need to be cleaned; infection is already beginning to start in some of them. I'm surprised you aren't really sick given the state some of these are in."

Duo bit his lip. "I'll try to stay still."

Quatre enlisted the aid of a soft cloth to clean the abused tissue, being as careful as he could. Duo hissed and squirmed away from time to time, the cleansing stinging the raw flesh, but once it was done he felt better.

"Now for your hair." Quatre reached for a bottle of liquid. "Could you duck your head under the water for a moment, please?"

Duo did as asked, surfacing with his ragged bangs plastered to his face. Quatre had him sit again on the small ledge and poured some of the sweet smelling liquid onto the wet mass. He replaced the jar on the side of the tub and began to work the substance through, gently teasing at the tangles and matted chunks.

Duo closed his eyes and let Quatre tend his hair. The gentle fingers felt good against his scalp, soothing even, and Duo found himself relaxing completely.

Quatre couldn't believe the mess he was working with. As the liquid worked through so he removed dirt, dried blood, bits of leaf and grass along with the occasional twig. Idly Quatre wondered just how long it had been since Duo's hair had been washed. _Quite some time,_ he thought, judging by the amount of filth that was being released from the strands. He rinsed the hair and applied more of the liquid to it, scrubbing his fingers through the mass a little easier this time.

It took another two applications of the scented liquid before Quatre could safely say that the hair was clean. He worked a slippery, creamy substance through it to finish with, feeling the strands soak up the oil in the stuff. With one last rinse he deemed both Duo and his hair to be clean. Quatre rose from the tub and fetched several of the cloths from the shelf. "Time to get out, Duo," he said as he removed the stopper from the hole and allowed the water to begin to drain away.

Duo was almost asleep; Quatre's gentle cleansing having relaxed him to the point where his eyes felt heavy and the lids began to droop. Vaguely he registered Quatre's words and raised himself, climbing out of the tub.

Quatre wrapped one of the soft cloths around Duo's body and scooping up the dripping hair, he squeezed as much of the water from it as he could before wrapping another cloth around the mass. Covering himself with another of the cloths and grabbing a couple of extra ones, he led Duo back through to the other room and sat him on the bed. Leaving Duo for a moment he quickly dried himself off and pulled on a pair of loose fitting pants. He then turned back to Duo who hadn't moved. "Let's get you dried off and see to your wounds. Then I will deal with your hair."

Duo nodded. He was still feeling overwhelmed by everything, not to mention bewildered and lost. In the space of daylight he'd gone from being beaten and abused, taking baths in a duck pond to being treated like a human and enjoying a cleansing with nice smelling concoctions and warm water to boot. It was too much for his poor mind to cope with and he found himself with water coursing down his cheeks; and it wasn't from his hair or the bath either.

"Oh, Duo," the blonde said softly and pulled the young slave into a warm embrace, mindful of the rawness of Duo's skin. Gently he soothed and rocked the slave letting him cry out his fear and anguish. "It's all a little too much for you, I know, but please, try to believe me when I say that you won't be beaten here, you will be cared for properly with good food and no one will hurt you, I promise." Quatre's voice was calming and soon Duo's tears stopped.

Could he dare to hope that what Quatre spoke of was true? A tiny spark of hope found its way into his heart. It was only small but it was the beginning.

Once Quatre was satisfied that Duo had calmed enough, he released him and shifted from the bed. Duo watched through red rimmed eyes as Quatre hunted through the heavy chest that sat at the foot of the other bed. Finally the blonde found what he was seeking and returned to Duo. "Here," he said and handed Duo a pair of loose pants, similar to his own. "They may be a little short in the leg seeing as how you're taller than me but they will do until Prince Heero gets you your own wardrobe."

"Thank you." Duo took the pants, feeling the silkiness of the material against his fingers. He could only imagine what that softness would feel like against the skin of his thighs. He'd never felt anything so soft.

Quatre gave him a grin. "You dry yourself off and put those on, I'm just going to see the cook and organize our dinner. Then I'll find the healer and have her come and check your wounds. I won't be long." Quatre gently cupped the milky cheek, feeling the warmth and softness of the skin beneath his hand.

"Okay." Duo replied.

"I'll be right back." Quatre turned and left him to finish drying off and dressing.

Duo savored the feeling of the drying cloth as it absorbed the water from his body. Once he was dry he reached for the pants that Quatre had left and began to pull them on. The silkiness of the fabric felt wonderful against his skin and he closed his eyes, sighing in pleasure. For as long as he could remember he'd only ever worn the rough leggings. The material they were made from was usually coarse, like sacking as they needed to be durable, and no master was going to waste good fabric such as this on a slave who was only there for physical work. The scratchiness of the leggings had always irritated Duo's sensitive skin, his legs sporting various rashes from time to time. Idly he wondered what sort of work he would be expected to do for his new master. Clothing of this type wasn't suitable for the sort of work he was used to.

While Quatre was gone, he took the opportunity to view his new surroundings. The room contained two beds, one of which he was sitting upon. At the foot of each bed stood a large chest. Duo assumed that one was for him and contained clothing; after all he'd seen Quatre fetch the pants from the one at the foot of the other bed. Between the two beds stood a small table with a pitcher of water on it, Duo also noticed the chamber pot underneath Quatre's bed. A large, heavily draped window dominated one wall and a huge dresser with a mirror stood against another, just to the side of the door that led through to the bathing chamber. It was to this dresser, or rather more specifically the mirror, that Duo was now drawn. It had been a long time since he'd seen his reflection, the ponds, puddles and like not giving a very clear image, and Duo was eager if not hesitant to see himself properly. Cautiously he approached the mirror and forced himself to stand directly in front of it. He stopped and raised his eyes. His mouth opened and a shocked gasp escaped. He stared at his reflection, a hollow face stared back at him. Eyes that were heavily shadowed and seemed much too large for the face, contained fear, pain and a look of hopelessness. The fine fabric of the pants hung from his bony hips, the body, with its covering of bruises and wounds, much too thin stared back at him as a silent testament to all he had endured thus far in his young life.

Disgusted by what he saw, Duo turned away, tears threatening to spill yet again and he made his way back to the bed. He could feel the droplets of water from his hair running down his bare back, stinging when they came into contact with a fresh wound and he cursed softly. Picking up the drying cloth he began to eliminate some of the moisture from the strands. So absorbed in his task he didn't hear Quatre return and instinctively cowered when Quatre placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Duo. It's me, Quatre."

Duo blinked and noted the young blonde's presence. "S... sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry, Duo," the blonde sighed softly. Gently he took the cloth from Duo. "Would you like me to brush your hair for you?"

"Brush my hair?"

"Yes, you know, brush your hair? Remove the tangles."

Duo stared at Quatre.

"You've never had your hair brushed?" Quatre asked in disbelief.

Duo lowered his eyes. "I… I don't know what you mean." He began to cringe again, expecting a barrage of verbal abuse if not physical for his ignorance.

Quatre reached out a tentative hand and lightly brushed Duo's bangs aside. "I told you before that no one would hurt you here, Duo. And I meant that. Look, I'll get the brush and show you what I mean." Quatre stood and went to the dresser. He rummaged around in one of the drawers before returning with a spiky looking object.

Duo looked curiously at it. It reminded him of a paddle, with a porcupine attached to it.

"This is a hairbrush, Duo. Your hairbrush. This here is the handle that you hold on to, these things here are the bristles. You place it in your hair like so and pull it down, it runs through, separating the strands of hair, removing any dirt and tangles." Quatre proceeded to demonstrate on his own blonde locks, the mechanics of the hairbrush.

Duo watched, amazed at the action.

"Would you like me to try it on your hair now?" Quatre asked, amused at the look on the young slave's face.

Duo nodded.

"I'll be as gentle as I can, but I warn you, some of these tangles are going to take a bit of getting out and it may pull on your scalp," Quatre spoke as he eyed the mass of knots and snarls. This was going to take *quite* some time.

"It's okay," Duo returned.

"Good, now sit there." Quatre positioned Duo on the center of the bed and climbed up behind him. He reached for the mass and began to run his fingers through it first, trying to work out some of the snarls before he took the brush to it. Fortunately the concoction he'd used in the bathing chamber had softened the strands and made them a little slippery as well, so the pain to Duo's scalp was reduced to a minimum.

Quatre bent to his task, diligently working the brush through the drying waterfall, separating the strands and teasing them free.

Duo's eyes closed in pleasure. The sensation of someone gently working their way through his tresses unlike anything he'd ever felt. The touches were tender, loving even and it was a feeling totally alien to the abused slave, but it was also a feeling he could grow to crave.

Quatre managed to remove the tangles and was amazed with the result. The long locks hung in silken waves now that they were free from their prison of dirt and knots, displaying their rich chestnut color, enhanced with highlights of copper, red and gold. Quatre hadn't seen anything so beautiful in a long time. So entranced with Duo's hair, Quatre continued to brush it long after the tangles had all been removed.

Duo was almost asleep when a knock to the door jolted him back and he automatically cowered.

"It's okay, Duo. That will be our dinner," said Quatre, his voice gentle and reassuring. He placed the brush on the bed and climbed off to answer the door.

Quatre admitted a dark haired woman who bustled in, heavy tray in her hands. She set the tray down upon the dresser and turned to observe a pair of violet eyes following her movements. As soon as the new slave realized she was watching him, he quickly lowered them.

Quatre watched, an amused smile on his lips. "Hilde, this is Duo, Prince Heero's new slave. Duo, this is Hilde, one of the kitchen maids. She is the one who usually brings our meals when we don't eat with our masters or in the kitchen."

Hilde cocked her head. "I heard the Prince had found himself a new slave, but I never dreamt he was this beautiful."

Duo's head jerked up. "Beautiful?" he questioned and then looked at his beaten and bruised body.

"Yes, beautiful," Hilde stated again as she walked closer to the slave. "You need a lot more meat on your bones, but you certainly are a looker. No wonder Prince Heero took to you."

Quatre could sense that Duo was beginning to get very uncomfortable and he couldn't blame him. So much was happening to him; and so fast. He really didn't know either just what his new role as Prince Heero's personal slave would entail. "Thank you, Hilde. We will eat now. Leave the dishes, we will bring them back in the morning."

"As you wish." Hilde bowed her head and then left. Duo gave a small sigh of relief.

"Let's eat," Quatre said and walked over to the dresser.

Duo's mouth was watering now as his nose picked up on the delicious smells coming from the tray on the dresser. He climbed off the bed and followed to where Quatre was removing the lids from the dishes. "Is that really our food?" he asked, unable to keep the incredulity from his voice.

Quatre smiled and handed Duo a bowl. "Help yourself to whatever you wish," he said and then proceeded to fill his own bowl with an assortment of rice, steamed vegetables and spicy smelling meat.

Duo hesitated for a moment, his eyes unable to comprehend the amount of food. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Quatre turned to him. "Tell me, Duo. What sort of meals, ummm... food, are you used to getting?"

Duo lowered his eyes. "Dry bread in the morning and gruel with bread at night. Sometimes we were lucky and had vegetables. Fine food was for the master, never wasted on a slave."

Quatre's eyes softened and he placed a hand upon Duo's arm. "Slave or not, no one should have to eat like that. While we may be slaves here, you will still be treated with some dignity. You are not an animal, Duo; none of us are and our masters would never treat us that way." Quatre gave a sad smile. "Unfortunately not all masters are as good and kind as ours."

Duo kept his eyes lowered. "I'm sorry, Quatre."

Quatre looked sharply at him. "What for?"

"For upsetting you."

Quatre snorted. "I'm not upset, Duo. Angry maybe, but not at you." Quatre brushed his fingers lightly through Duo's bangs. "You have suffered through so much and it isn't going to be easy for you to accept this new way of life, to trust in those you are with now, especially given what you have told me. I know there is more, things that you aren't telling me and I respect your privacy, but..." Quatre's teal eyes were sincere. "But if you ever want to talk, I'm always here."

Duo's eyes welled with unshed tears. It all seemed too good to be true. All his life he'd known nothing but hard work, poor food and beatings. He'd never dreamt that a slave could be treated the way Quatre was describing. He was sure he'd either finally succumbed to a really bad beating or had died. Either that or he was in the middle of a dream and would awaken to cruel reality.

"Let's have no more of this talk for now, Duo. Eat your food before it gets cold." Quatre took his own bowl and moved back to the bed, sat down and began to eat.

Duo carefully filled his own bowl, mainly rice and vegetables. He wisely only took a little of the meat, unsure of how his stomach would react to the rich food after surviving for so long on the diet he'd endured thus far. He settled himself on the bed and began to eat, his eyes closing in pleasure as a myriad of new flavors played over his taste buds.

Quatre smiled to himself, observing Duo discreetly. The flashes of wonder that passed through violet eyes as the various tastes of the differing foods met with a deprived tongue warmed and yet saddened Quatre. He knew he was well off for a slave, he had also heard tell of the hardship suffered by other slaves, but hadn't really believed such stories could be true. Now the proof was before him. They continued to eat in companionable silence.

When Duo couldn't force any more food into his bloated stomach he reluctantly put the bowl down and glanced nervously at Quatre.

"Had enough?"

Duo nodded and stared at the nearly empty bowl. "I'm sorry for leaving and wasting good food, but I can't eat anymore."

Quatre ran his fingers over Duo's cheek. "You do not have to apologize, Duo." With the words said, he got up and took their respective bowls to the tray and set them down. Returning to the bed he sat next to Duo. "The healer should be here soon. Once she has tended to your wounds and injuries, I think you should sleep."

Duo nodded.

"Would you? Would you mind if I braided your hair?" Quatre asked suddenly.

Duo looked at him in surprise.

"You have beautiful hair, Duo, but to leave it loose to sleep will cause it to tangle. Besides, when the healer treats your wounds it would be best if your hair was out of the way."

"Okay," Duo consented.

Quatre smiled and picked up the brush again, gently running it through chestnut strands then dividing the hair into three segments he began to twist it into a tight plait. When he'd finished he tied the end off with a ribbon. No sooner had he gently laid the braid against Duo's back than another knock was heard at the door. Duo jumped again, but Quatre was quick to reassure the scared slave.

"That will be the healer," he said in a soft voice and got up off the bed to answer the door.

tbc...

Many thanks to all who have read so far and dropped in a comment. Your feedback is very much appreciated and is encouraging Fred (my muse) to get his rear into gear and write more of this. I hope you continue to enjoy. Shen ^_^


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time to play with and return them a whole lot happier, ne?

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Sap, angst, bondage, slavery, Yaoi, Lemon, lime, het, violence, dark, fluff, AU, OOC.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 1xR, 2xR

Archive: gundam-wing-diaries. 150m. com and gundam-wing-diaries. foreverfandom. net

Summary: Heero is the eldest son of the King of Colonia. His 21st birthday is approaching and as tradition dictates his betrothed is soon to arrive. However he is also bound by tradition to select his own personal slave. The events that unfold lead him down a path that not only tests his sanity but his humanity and love as well.

Author's Note: This fic was started back in 2004 and has languished on my hard drive ever since, only sporadically being added to when I have the time (and the muse the inclination) . Updates will be far between, but rest assured, it **will** be finished. Feed back is most welcome as are honest critiques. Flames will be dealt with as I deal with all flames – with sarcasm.

Commenced July 2004 – first published January 2008 on the Gundam Wing Diaries site

* * *

My apologies for the delay in getting this chapter out to you all and for not having responded to my lovely reviewers individually. I've been having some major issues with my internet connection and it's still unresolved. I'm taking advantage of the few minutes connection I have to get this chapter out to you all. Hopefully the issue will be resolved soon and I can thank you all again personally. meanwhile... Enjoy!

"Bound, Bonded and Betrayed"

January 2008. ShenLong

Chapter 3

"Sally," the young blonde said as he opened the door and admitted the woman.

"Quatre," the greeting was returned. "Where is this poor unfortunate creature that Prince Heero has found himself?"

"Over there, Sally." Quatre indicated to where Duo was sitting rather stiffly on the bed. "His name is Duo," Quatre continued as he led the honey blonde woman to where Duo waited, head bowed.

Sally felt her anger rising as she approached the trembling slave, the bruising she could see making her wonder just how bad the rest was that lay hidden beneath the clothing and under the length of hair.

"Sally will treat your wounds, Duo. You have no need to fear her," Quatre said reassuringly.

"Hello, Duo." Sally's voice was gentle and soft, using a tone similar to one used when soothing a skittish colt. "Do you mind if I take a look at your body?"

The fear was evident in Duo's eyes and he found his hand reaching for Quatre's. Even in the short amount of time he'd known the blonde, he trusted the other slave; and right now he needed an anchor.

Quatre took the trembling hand and stroked his thumb over the back of it. "I'll stay right here with you, Duo." He looked at Sally for conformation.

"If you feel more comfortable with Quatre here then that's fine with me, Duo." Sally gave the frightened slave another smile.

"Thank you. I... I'm sorry for any disobedience," he murmured quietly and bowed his head further, body stiffening as if waiting for a physical reprimand.

Sally's heart lurched. _What the hell had this poor creature endured to make him this way?_ With a sigh, she placed her basket of remedies upon the bed and spoke softly. "You haven't been disobedient, Duo, and no one is going to punish you."

While Duo knew the healer spoke the truth he couldn't relax and believe it fully. Too many times in the past he'd been given the same false hope and just when he'd started to allow himself to believe in it, he was jerked back to reality with a harsh beating. Now he refused to let anything penetrate through the thick walls of self preservation he'd built around his fragile mind and heart.

Quatre gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and Duo began to relax just a little only to stiffen again moments later when Sally's fingers began to explore the patchwork of welts, bruises, wounds and scars that graced his skin.

Sally was as gentle as she could be, her fingers exploring the maze of injuries to the slave's back. With each touch to a welt, a bruise, she felt her anger deepen. This boy hadn't even been given the courtesy of being treated like a slave; rather he'd been treated like an animal. No, she would take that back, even animals weren't treated this cruelly. With sadness in her eyes she turned back to her basket of remedies and fiddled around for a while, selecting the ones she thought would be most useful. She was aware of Duo's eyes watching her every move so when she turned back she made a point of showing the young man what she held in her hands and informing him of what she intended to do.

"These are just salves, Duo. They have strong healing properties. I'm going to spread them over the fresh cuts to your skin, they will help them to heal and lessen any pain."

Duo nodded that he understood.

Sally proceeded to spread the concoctions over the many wounds littering his skin. It took a while but eventually she was done. "That takes care of your back and chest. I'm sorry, Duo but I need to check your legs and, well, other parts of you."

Duo looked at Quatre in confusion; Quatre leaned in close and in a quiet, soothing voice, explained. "Sally will treat any wounds to your legs but she also needs to make sure that everything else is okay." _How to put this?_ Quatre thought. "She needs to make sure that you're fine, um, down there." Quatre pointed to Duo's groin.

The young slave blushed and gripped Quatre's hand even tighter.

"I promise to be quick about it and make it as less unpleasant as I can."

Duo sighed. "Why?"

"She needs to make sure that you haven't been abused or hurt in any way," Quatre replied softly.

Duo's eyes widened a little.

"Some masters do that, Duo." Seeing Duo's curiosity beginning to pique, Quatre pressed on. "I'll explain it all to you later, Duo. For now though, drop your pants and Sally will be finished in just a few minutes."

Still red, Duo complied, removing his pants and then gripping Quatre's hand... hard.

Sally kept her promise, keeping the examination as short as possible and causing as little discomfort as she could. Satisfied that the young slave hadn't suffered any abuse to his genitals or anus she swiftly dealt with the wounds upon his legs and feet before straightening up and announcing she was finished.

Duo gratefully pulled his pants back on.

"The wounds should all heal properly now that they have been treated. I'll leave you some powders to pop into a drink, the mix will help you to sleep as well as assist in the healing process." Sally directed her words to Duo before facing Quatre. "I will come back tomorrow and re-dress those wounds that need it, or you can bring him to my chambers."

"Thank you, Sally." Quatre smiled at the woman.

"Thank you." The whispered words were so quiet that Sally nearly missed them. A smile graced her lips.

"You're very welcome, Duo."

Quatre escorted the healer to the door and then put the powder Sally had left into a cup of water before returning to the bed where Duo sat.

"What's going to happen to me, Quatre? What will my duties here be?" The voice was open, vulnerable as he took the offered cup and drank the contents, placing the empty cup on the small cabinet that separated their beds.

Quatre took Duo's hand before speaking. "I cannot answer that question the way you want me to, Duo. I don't know exactly what your duties will be, I'm sure that Prince Heero will explain them to you tomorrow. I would guess though that he wants you as his personal slave, something like what I am to Prince Trowa."

Duo gazed into the soft teal eyes of his fellow slave. "What do your duties entail?"

Quatre thought for a minute, choosing his words carefully. "I serve my prince in any way he wishes. I am there to see that he's kept happy and comfortable, anything from drawing his bath and fetching his clothes to playing music for him. Anything he wants, I am there to provide."

The soft words registered in Duo's mind. He had an idea that Quatre wasn't giving him all the facts here, but for now, he was too tired to question any further. His hand covered his mouth as he began to yawn.

"You should rest now; there will be time for questions and answers tomorrow." Quatre gently coaxed Duo from sitting on the bed and turned the covers down.

Duo was too tired to resist and allowed the gentle blonde to ease him into the bed, pulling the covers up over him and tucking them around his slender frame. Sighing, Duo burrowed deeper into the warmth. "Soft," was all he could say.

Chuckling quietly, Quatre leaned forth and brushed his lips across Duo's forehead in a tender kiss. "Rest, sweet one, I will be back soon."

"You're leaving me?" Violet eyes looked up, a glint of fear in them as a hand darted out from under the covers to grasp Quatre's wrist.

"I will return soon, Duo. I have to go and tend to my master's needs now."

Duo thought about that for a moment and then released his hold. He didn't want Quatre to get into any trouble on his behalf.

"Good." Quatre petted Duo's head. "You're safe here, Duo. No one will hurt you and I will be back soon. Sleep now."

Snuggling even deeper, Duo relaxed, the soft monotone of Quatre's voice soothing him. He began to drift off, unaware of when Quatre left the room.

# # #

Quatre had waited until he was sure that Duo was dropping off to sleep before leaving the room and heading for his master's chambers. Arriving at the thick, oak door he knocked and waited for permission to enter. Stepping into the chambers he noted his master sitting in the large chair by the fire, long legs tapering out in front of him, goblet of wine in his fingers while the firelight danced over the fine, chiseled features. Making his way across the room, Quatre became aware of Prince Heero sitting in the other chair by the fire. Quatre knelt at Trowa's side, head bowed. "Master," he said quietly.

Trowa's fingers dropped to the blonde head and began to run through the golden locks causing Quatre to almost purr. "How is the new slave?" Trowa asked.

"Sleeping," Quatre replied.

"How is he feeling? Did Sally stop by?" asked Heero.

"He has been bathed and fed; Sally has tended to his wounds and now he is comfortable."

Heero quirked an eyebrow at his brother. Trowa smiled and tugged gently at the blonde slave's collar. "Quatre, Prince Heero would like a proper report on the new slave's status, please give it to him."

With his head still bowed, Quatre spoke. "Permission to speak freely, sire?"

"Permission granted." Heero rolled the stem of the wine goblet in his fingers while awaiting the slave's words.

"The new slave's name is Duo. It seems he has been mistreated for as long as he can remember and so he thinks this is the normal way for a slave to be treated. He isn't used to the treatment of slaves here. He was rather shocked by the bathing, never having bathed in warm water or with any of the cleansing products before. From what he told me, the duck pond was the closest thing he'd ever had to a bath. He is now clean; also his hair..." Quatre trailed off for a moment. "His hair is truly beautiful, soft, shiny and luxurious despite the lack of care. I'm sure he will keep it that way now he has the means with which to do so. I suggest we keep an eye on his food for a while. He is unaccustomed to eating good food, having survived mainly on broth and scraps."

Heero frowned, his anger beginning to rise again.

Quatre continued. "Sally has treated his wounds as best she can..." A small choking sound could be heard as Quatre faltered for a moment.

"What is it, Quatre?" Trowa asked in his gentle tone.

Quatre shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "I don't know how anyone could beat a slave like that, especially one as sweet as Duo. His... his body, covered in bruises, cuts and scars," Quatre's voice hitched but he continued on. "Sally has treated them all and seems to think he will heal okay."

"Was there...?"

"No." Quatre kept his head bowed as his voice lowered to a whisper. "No, there is no evidence that he has been abused sexually that Sally could find. From the conversations I've had with him thus far, I'm sure he is a virgin still, in all ways."

Heero sighed audibly. "At least that's some good news."

The silence fell heavy in the room as each of the men pondered the words. The fire crackled merrily, oblivious to the weight of emotion in the surrounding air. Finally Heero stretched. "I will leave you, brother. Quatre?"

The blonde slave turned to the prince.

"Please bring the new slave to my chambers after breakfast, I will speak with him then."

"As you wish, sire."

"Good night, Trowa." Heero took his leave.

"Good night, Heero," Trowa acknowledged from his position still seated by the fire.

Heero left, closing the door behind him and leaving his brother and the slave alone.

Trowa placed a finger under the blonde's chin and raised his face to meet his gaze. "Kiss me," he ordered.

Quatre rose from his kneeling position to obey, carefully leaning forwards to place his lips against those of his master. The strong, slick tongue of his prince pressed firmly against his lips which he parted eagerly to accept their master's invasion. The kiss broke and Quatre whimpered at the loss.

Trowa chuckled softly and rubbed his thumb across his slave's bottom lip. "I have a more pressing duty for that sweet mouth of yours."

Quatre moaned. He knew what his master wanted and leant forwards, awaiting permission.

"Suck me," came the quiet command.

Quatre leaned closer, this time his hands went to the fastenings of his master's breechers, quickly unlacing them with practiced ease. He could feel the heat rising from the skin, the bulge pushing forward making the task a little harder than usual. Finally the last of the lacings gave in and Quatre reached inside the parted cloth, finding the engorged shaft and carefully pulling it free from its prison.

Trowa moaned softly as his slave drew his aching cock from within his pants, the cool air soothing his ardor momentarily.

Quatre licked his lips, moistening them in readiness for his master's length. Gently he leant in, pushing himself between his master's legs and softly licking around the swollen head. He lapped at the head, knowing exactly what his master liked and wanted. Teasing the small slit and running his tongue around the ridge, Quatre paused to flick his tongue across the join of foreskin to crown before opening his mouth and swallowing the thick length all the way to the root.

Hands found their way to golden hair, encouraging the slave to take all the heated shaft into his talented mouth. Quatre eagerly obeyed, relaxing his throat muscles as the blunt head pressed firmly against the back of his throat. He began to suck, using a combination of his tongue, cheeks and throat muscles to give his master as much pleasure as possible.

Soft moans were coaxed from Prince Trowa as his slave worked his magic on his cock. He could feel the pleasure building, his balls drawing closer to his body as the fire inside his gut built in intensity. The sweet torture to his arousal continued as soft whimpers fell from his lips. "Oh, Quatre. That's it, suck me, suck me good." He ran his hands through soft, golden locks while his hips rocked. "Ahhh..."

The body he was worshiping began to tense, warning the slave of his master's impending climax. Quatre relaxed and drew back a little in preparation for the gift he was about to receive.

A strangled moan tore from Trowa, his body stiffened and then convulsed as his seed pulsed forth, his climax stealing all thought from him, the rich fluid spilling into the waiting mouth of his eager slave.

As the first jets of semen hit his throat, so Quatre instinctively began to swallow; the bitter fluid was like honey to him. Greedily he drank it all then continued to suckle, attempting to draw more from his master.

Trowa eased the slave's mouth from his sensitive organ, his body limp and satisfied. "Thank you, Quatre," he said softly. "That was most satisfying."

Quatre smiled at his master. "Do you wish for me to re-dress you or prepare you for sleep, master?"

Trowa's eyes gave away his tiredness. "I think I shall retire. Prepare the bed, please."

Raising himself from his knees, Quatre tried to ignore the swollen organ between his own legs. His master hadn't given him permission to come and until he did so, Quatre would either have to suffer his arousal or try to will it away.

Watching the blonde slave fold back the covers on the bed and retrieve his sleeping gown, Trowa was well aware of his slave's erection; it was hard not to notice it. Quatre's pants were nicely tented.

Returning with his master's nightgown, Quatre knelt again. "Shall I undress you, sire?"

"Yes, please." Trowa stood and allowed his slave to remove his vest and shirt, the boots and stockings following. The breechers were still unlaced and Quatre slid them down over slender hips and the long legs of his master. Once the clothing had been removed the slave assisted his master into the nightgown and then proceeded to fold the garments and place them on the chair.

The prince made his way to the large bed and sank into the soft mattress, his weary and sore body grateful for the softness. He turned to his slave who awaited his orders. "I think you should spend the night in your own quarters with the new slave. He is bound to be feeling a little lost and scared. Look after him."

"As you wish, sire." There was a touch of sadness in the voice when Quatre spoke. "Will there be anything else, master?"

"Yes."

Quatre looked up at his master.

"I want you to come for me."

"Master?"

"Come here and kneel on the end of my bed. You did a wonderful job with your mouth relieving my frustration, but I am too tired to assist you, so I wish for you to touch yourself, make yourself come for me."

The slave shivered, his cock surging between his thighs at the promise of release. Quatre did as requested and climbed upon the bed.

"Remove your pants and kneel at the end of the bed, I want to watch you."

Quatre removed his pants, the swollen organ appreciating the freedom. He climbed back upon the bed and knelt facing his master.

"Spread your legs a little more. Good. Now, touch yourself, play with yourself, make yourself come for me and make it good."

Quatre moaned again. Usually his master took care of him, making him come while using his body for his own release. It wasn't very often that Quatre brought himself off and ever rarer for his master to order him to pleasure himself while his master watched. His hands ran over his torso and chest, dipping beneath his vest to tease a nipple while the other hand stroked over his flat belly. He moaned quietly, enjoying the sensation. Running his fingers through golden curls, he dipped below his swollen organ to cup his sac, rolling the testicles in his palm. He threw his head back and groaned as he stimulated himself, then impatiently his fingers danced over the heated length and teased at the head of his erection. He spread the sticky droplets, coating the swollen head with the liberal offering before curling his fingers and beginning to fist himself. He dropped his head forwards and peeked through golden bangs at his master and smiled.

Satiated as he was, Trowa could still appreciate the 'show' his slave was giving him. He took pleasure in watching his slave tease and torment himself and all for his benefit.

The passion in his loins was building and Quatre knew it wouldn't be long before he reached his release. His hips began to rock, steadily pushing his cock into the hand that pumped it. Moans and whimpers came from his throat while sweat trickled down his back. He pushed his legs wider apart, dropping his other hand to his balls and gently squeezing them. His hand sped up, the promise of release within his grasp and his world narrowed to focus on his cock and reaching that goal.

Rubbing his thumb across the slit, Quatre's body could take no more. A series of soft whimpers and cries left his mouth as the proof of his passion left his cock in thick, hot spurts to coat his hand and stomach before dripping to the bedclothes.

Once his body had stopped convulsing and the last of his orgasmic high left him, Quatre opened his eyes and gazed lovingly at his master, raising his hand and licking away the evidence of his release from his fingers. Once he was 'clean' he raised his eyes to meet with his master's, hoping the prince had enjoyed his little 'show'.

"Beautiful, my sweet Quatre; simply beautiful," Trowa whispered.

"Thank you, master." Quatre blushed a little, enjoying the praise.

"You should return to your quarters now, as much as I would prefer to have your company here with me tonight, I fear that the new slave may need your tenderness more than I." Trowa pulled his slave to him and kissed him soundly before releasing him and allowing him to return to his quarters. "I will send for you tomorrow, until then, take care of the new slave and heed Heero's instructions. You are a good slave, Quatre, and I am proud to be your master."

With the words of praise ringing in his ears, Quatre's step was light as he made his way back to the quarters he now shared with Duo.

# # #

The long haired slave was sleeping soundly when Quatre returned. He smiled as he noted how Duo had burrowed deep into the mattress, only the crown of his head was visible. Quatre tucked the blankets a little more around the sleeping form and placed a gentle kiss to the ragged bangs before moving through to the bathing chamber and fetching a cloth to clean himself up with.

Once the stickiness was removed, Quatre felt more comfortable and returned to the bed chamber. He stripped off his clothes and crawled, naked into his own bed. He was tired, it had been a long day and the release he'd received earlier from his gentle master had added to his body's weariness. But it was a nice feeling.

He sighed softly, missing the warmth of his master's body for he usually slept with Prince Trowa, but knowing that at the moment the new slave needed him more than his master. Quatre didn't mind, he found he really liked the new slave. He felt sorry for him and all he had endured so far. Hopefully though, Duo would learn to enjoy his life at the castle. Quatre sincerely hoped so, for the long haired slave deserved better in life.

With another gentle sigh, Quatre snuggled down into his own bedclothes and let the dark fingers of sleep claim his mind and body.

tbc...


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time to play with and return them a whole lot happier, ne?

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Sap, angst, bondage, slavery, Yaoi, Lemon, lime, het, violence, dark, fluff, AU, OOC.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 1xR, 2xR

Archive: gundam-wing-diaries. 150m .com and gundam-wing-diaries. foreverfandom. net

Summary: Heero is the eldest son of the King of Colonia. His 21st birthday is approaching and as tradition dictates his betrothed is soon to arrive. However he is also bound by tradition to select his own personal slave. The events that unfold lead him down a path that not only tests his sanity but his humanity and love as well.

Author's Note: This fic was started back in 2004 and has languished on my hard drive ever since, only sporadically being added to when I have the time (and the muse the inclination) . Updates will be far between, but rest assured, it **will** be finished. Feed back is most welcome as are honest critiques. Flames will be dealt with as I deal with all flames – with sarcasm.

Commenced July 2004 – published January 2008

"Bound, Bonded and Betrayed"

January. 2008 ShenLong

Chapter 4

The morning came all too soon for Duo. The soft rays of the sun pierced through the small window of the room, drawing him to full wakefulness. He stretched and yawned, thinking about the duties ahead and then froze. He wasn't on the hard, dirt floor of the shed but in a soft, warm bed. The Hessian sacking, usually his only form of covering, had been replaced by soft, warm blankets. Suddenly the memories of the preceding day came flooding back. At first he thought it had all been a dream, the rescue from his cold, cruel master, the gentle cleansing at the hands of the sweet blonde, his wounds being treated by the nice lady; but a glance around his surroundings confirmed it was all real.

He peeked across the room to see Quatre still asleep and a small twinge of fear ran down his spine as he realized that he didn't know what to do, what his duties were to be, should he be up and about? Would his master be angry with him and beat him for still lying abed when the sun had broken the horizon? Unsure of where he stood in the mix of things with his new master, he hunched back down in the bed. If he was going to be punished for not attending to his duties, he might as well enjoy the little bit of comfort he had for a while longer.

A short amount of time elapsed and then Duo noted the blonde was beginning to stir. Aqua eyes fluttered open accompanied by a yawn.

Blinking and rubbing his eyes, Quatre stared across the room smiling at the lump under the blankets and remembering his fellow slave. "Good morning, Duo," he said quietly and was rewarded when the chestnut head poked out. The smile however died on Quatre's lips when he witnessed the look in those violet eyes. In a flash, Quatre was out of his bed and across the room to kneel beside the other slave's bed.

"Duo? What's wrong? Why are you scared?"

Duo's gaze found Quatre's as his hand snaked out to grasp Quatre's. "The master... He will be angry with me."

Quatre looked confused. "Why? Why would the master be angry with you?"

"The sun has risen and I should be about my duties. The master will be angry with me for my laziness."

It dawned on Quatre just what Duo meant and he gently ran his fingers through Duo's bangs, pushing them away from his sweet face. "No, Duo. The master will not be angry with you. Listen to me. The master wishes for me to take you to him after breakfast, then he will speak with you and inform you of your duties. It's quite acceptable for you to remain in your bed if your master has not requested for you to do anything before breakfast."

"He won't punish me?"

"No, Duo, he won't punish you; you haven't done anything wrong. The master, while firm and demands respect, is a fair man. He does not believe in mistreating his slaves."

Duo seemed to relax a little with those words.

"Come, let us rise and perform our ablutions, then I will take us for breakfast and have Sally check your wounds." Quatre stood and stretched, waiting for Duo to join him. He led the new slave back to the bathing chamber and filled a small bowl with water, setting it carefully upon the stone shelving. Then he fetched a couple of chamber pots and handed one to Duo. "Usually I take one into the room at night; it can get a little chilly if you need to go in the middle of the night."

Duo flushed a little as he took the pot. His bladder was rather full and he had wondered about where he would go to relieve himself. It hadn't been a problem with his previous masters as he'd simply stepped outside the shed he and the other slaves shared and watered the trees; but here...

Well, at least that was one problem solved. After relieving himself, Quatre showed him where to empty the pot, then they washed and returned to the bed chamber.

Quatre fished around amongst his clothing, finding something for both himself and Duo to wear. Duo was once again overwhelmed as he felt the softness of the fabrics. Quatre had given him a pair of satiny blue pants and a matching blue vest. "Prince Heero will no doubt arrange for your own wardrobe to be made up as soon as possible," the blonde said as he turned to dress.

"Thank you." Duo's eyes shone. He began to relax a little more and quickly donned the clothes.

Quatre was pleased to see some of the frightened look disappearing from those expressive violet eyes. "Let me brush your hair?" he asked quietly.

Duo nodded his assent and sat on the bed, secretly enjoying the attentions of the blonde slave. As Quatre brushed his hair and re-braided it so Duo found a little courage and began to ask some questions. "What is the master like?"

Quatre paused for a moment a little stunned that Duo was willing to talk. "Prince Heero? Let me see. All I can tell you is what I have observed of him. I haven't had a great deal to do with him as I belong to his younger brother, Prince Trowa."

"Oh."

"What I can tell you is that he's the heir to the throne of Colonia, he's a quiet, reserved person, but is also a fair and just man. He will make an excellent king when he ascends to the throne."

Duo chewed over that information. He didn't remember a great deal about the events that had led to his change in ownership. Part of him was eager to meet his new master, but his experiences with his slavery warned him to be wary.

Tying off the braid, Quatre laid down the hairbrush. "It's time for breakfast, Duo. We will find out your duties afterwards when Prince Heero speaks with you. Come." The blonde stood and held out his hand. Duo took it.

"Where are we going?" Last night they'd had dinner in the room. Somehow he assumed that breakfast would be a repeat.

"We're going to the kitchens to eat with the other slaves. Usually we take our meals with our masters, but when our masters are busy we eat in the kitchens, sometimes our rooms. Dinner was brought to us last night due to the different circumstances. I didn't think you'd be up to eating with the others."

"Others?"

"You've already met Sally the healer and Hilde one of the kitchen girls, now you will get to meet the rest of the staff."

Duo obediently followed Quatre, his heart was thumping in his chest and a knot of fear settled in his stomach. They entered the warm kitchen and Duo was warmly made welcome. He wondered why he had even thought to be afraid.

Quatre led him over to the large table and motioned for him to sit, taking the seat next to him. Duo watched the activity surrounding him from under his bangs. A dark haired woman bustled around assisted by the dark girl he'd met the previous evening. A dark haired blonde also lent a hand in carrying the heavily laden plates to the table. Once there was a plate set in front of every chair the bustle of the kitchen slowed and everyone took their seats. When they were all seated Quatre took it upon himself to introduce Duo to them all. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Prince Heero's new slave, Duo." All eyes turned to the long haired man and Duo wished he could slide under the table.

"Duo, this is Noin, the cook," Quatre said as he indicated the dark haired woman who had been bustling around when they had arrived. Quatre continued on. "Hilde you met last night, she's a kitchen maid."

The young dark girl smiled at him.

"This is Sylvia," Quatre nodded to the dark haired blonde girl. "She's also a kitchen maid as well as Queen Une's parlor maid. Cathy here is also a parlor maid."

A young girl with red- brown curls gave him a grin.

"There are a few other staff, which you will meet later. Now, eat your breakfast."

Duo looked at the plate in front of him and his mouth began to water. _Was all this food for him?_ He caught the look of Noin watching him out of the corner of his eye and felt himself flush.

"You look like you need fattening up," she said to him and fixed him with her gaze. "If you get hungry in between meals you just call in here to the kitchen and I'll give you something to nibble on. You look half starved, poor child."

Duo blushed even more and doing his best to look inconspicuous turned his attention back to his plate, a plate that was piled high with thick slices of ham, a couple of eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms. All jockeyed for position with a couple of thick slices of bread. Then Duo had another problem. How to eat it all without showing his lack of manners. He cautiously picked up his utensils and with one eye on Quatre he did his best to mimic the blonde.

As the first bite passed his lips, his eyes closed in bliss. Never had he tasted such wonderful food. It didn't take long for him to get over his shyness due to lack of manners and get stuck into his breakfast. Eagerly he pushed forkful after forkful into his mouth, chewing and swallowing with a dedication that fascinated Quatre who was watching the new slave from the corner of his eye, an amused expression on his face.

Noin was also watching. "Duo, I think you should slow down a little, you'll give yourself indigestion."

Duo paused and stared at the cook, a frightened look appeared in his eyes before he lowered them and cringed slightly.

Noin looked alarmed. "Duo? Are you all right?"

Quatre turned to the young slave and raised his hand to place it on Duo's arm and reassure the man, but Duo flinched away, expecting a blow. Realizing his error Quatre spoke softly and with tenderness. "I'm not going to punish you, Duo. No one is. The food is yours and won't be taken away from you. You can eat as much as you like. Noin is only concerned that you might make yourself ill by eating so fast."

Scared violet eyes turned towards the blonde. Quatre smiled. "It's okay. Eat up, only not quite so fast, otherwise if you do get sick, Sally will give you some of her nasty tasting medicine and I'm sure you wouldn't like that."

Duo looked a little apprehensive but picked up his utensils and began to eat again, a little slower this time. He darted looks out from underneath his bangs whilst keeping his head lowered and noticed the curious looks the others were giving him. He chose to remain silent and concentrate on his meal. He missed the sympathetic look Noin gave him.

With Quatre's words, Noin began to understand a little about the new slave. It was obvious he'd been mistreated, but to what extent she didn't know. She made a note to speak with Quatre about it when she got the chance, but for now she would see to it that the long haired slave got a large helping at every meal and snacks in-between.

#

Once the meal was finished, Quatre led Duo out of the kitchen and along a series of hallways, stopping outside a large oak door. He knocked and waited to be given permission to enter. "These are Sally's chambers. If ever you are not feeling well come here and she will make you better."

Permission was given for entry and Quatre opened the door, Duo right behind him.

"I have brought Duo, Prince Heero's new slave for you to check, Sally."

"Ahh." The kindly healer approached. "How are you feeling this morning, Duo?"

Duo kept his head bowed. "Very well thank you, ma'am."

"That's good to hear. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

"Good. Let's have a look at those wounds shall we? Please remove your shirt."

Duo did as requested while the healer fetched some of her remedies from the large bench by the far wall. As he removed the borrowed garment he glanced around the room. Three of the four walls were covered with shelving packed with jars, bottles and containers of things Duo didn't even want to think about.

Sally returned and placed a couple of jars upon the table. She lifted the braid of hair and draped it over Duo's shoulder then bent to her task of examining and redressing his wounds. His pants were next to be removed and the welts attended to. Once Sally was satisfied, he redressed himself while Sally handed Quatre one of the jars of ointment.

"As I thought the wounds are healing fine, he should be okay within a couple of days. After he bathes I want you to reapply this ointment. Keep doing it for another four days. All should be well by then."

Quatre nodded.

"If you're not sure about the healing or if anything happens send for me immediately."

"Thank you, Sally."

"My pleasure. Good luck, Duo."

"Thank you." Duo was only too happy to follow Quatre out of the healer's chambers and back into the castle halls.

"I'll take this ointment back to our chambers and then I will take you to your master."

Duo felt the knot of fear begin to form once more in his gut. He followed Quatre, trying to take note of where he was in the castle. "I'll never find my way around here," he mumbled.

Quatre laughed. "Yes, you will. It's not really all that big once you get used to it. The castle is pretty much set in a square. The West Wing is the staff section. That's where we all have our chambers, the slaves, the maids, all the staff for the castle. The North Wing is the family wing. That's where the King and his Queen and our master's rooms are located; also the library, workout rooms, family gathering rooms and the like. The East Wing is for guests. It also houses the grand ballroom, dining room and throne room. There's also the conference room where the King meets with his advisory and the heads of the various lands owned by the kingdom. The South Wing contains the entrance to the castle and the military barracks. Also the dungeons are found in the towers that flank the south walls. The family only uses the grand ballroom and dining room for state occasions. Usually they entertain, eat etcetera in the more intimate rooms of the family wing. The King's study is also there." By this stage they had reached their room and Quatre entered, placing the jar of ointment on the top of the chest. "The family bathing chambers are also in the West Wing, although the family accesses them from their own private corridors. I will give you a tour of the place at a later stage, but now we need to meet your master and find out what your duties will be." Quatre turned and once more headed out into the corridor, his step sure.

Duo followed, his feet were still sore but he paid them no heed. A slave didn't show pain, it only led to more pain. As they traversed the corridors of the castle Duo did his best to note where he was. Despite Quatre's insistence that the castle wasn't all that hard to navigate, Duo still found himself doubting he would ever learn his way around.

It wasn't long before Quatre stopped outside a large oak door similar to Sally's one but this one bore the symbol of an eagle carved into the wood.

"These are Prince Heero's chambers, your new master. Prince Trowa's chambers are just along the corridor a way. As I said before, Prince Trowa is my master."

Duo couldn't help but notice how the blonde's voice and eyes softened when he spoke of his master. Idly Duo wondered if he would ever become as fond of his master as Quatre appeared to be of his.

"Remember your place, Duo. You are a slave and I know you will have had some training in respect."

Duo nodded. In all honesty he was terrified of meeting his new master; and curious. He knew the future of his life was on the other side of that door. He could only hope it wouldn't be any worse than his past existence.

Quatre knocked.

"Enter," the deep voice from within replied.

Taking a deep breath, Duo followed Quatre inside to meet with his fate.

The carpet was rich and soft beneath his sore feet and he allowed himself a moment to appreciate the luxury of it. He kept his head bowed, darting glances from underneath his bangs, taking in the opulence of the room. He followed Quatre to the center of the room and dropped to his knees, arms behind his back and head bowed in supplication.

"Master Heero, I have brought your new slave to you as requested," Quatre's voice was soft.

Duo was aware of the man sitting in a large chair by the crackling fire just a few feet away. His heart beat faster in his chest and he tried to swallow the lump of fear that forced its way to his throat.

"Thank you, Quatre."

The voice was thick and deep. Duo didn't remember a whole lot of the previous day, but that voice, it struck a chord inside and caused his breath to quicken. He felt, rather than saw the Prince rise to his feet and cross the distance between them. He kept his head bowed though, unwilling to risk any punishment to his still sore and healing body.

The elegant boots stopped just in Duo's line of vision and then that deep voice spoke again.

"You had best be going to your master now, Quatre, I have kept you from my brother long enough. Please pass on my thanks to him for allowing me to utilize your services with the new slave."

"As you wish, Master Heero. Will you require my services again today?"

"Please, I would be grateful if you would stop by later, say mid afternoon and take Duo back to your quarters."

"Yes, Master Heero. Thank you." Quatre bowed as he stood and then left.

Duo found himself all alone with his new master.

"Why do you tremble? I have not hurt you."

Duo couldn't help himself and lowered his head even more afraid to speak in case of retribution. A finger pressed under his chin, forcing Duo's head to rise.

"Open your eyes and look at me," came the command.

Duo did as he was told, opening his eyes slowly. His breath caught in his throat as he got his first proper look at his new master. He was simply stunning. Dark chocolate brown hair tumbled over the face; full lips, defined cheek bones and deep blue eyes looked back at him. Duo could read fairness, confidence and kindness in the depths of those eyes, but he could also tell from the lines of the face that this was a man who demanded respect.

"Tell me, do I frighten you?"

Duo swallowed. "A little, Master."

An amused smile passed over Heero's face. "You have no need to fear me. I am not a cruel person and I will not punish you when no wrong has been committed." Heero took a moment to appraise the slave. His hand drifted to the thick braid of hair. Carefully he lifted it up, feeling the weight of it, caressed the end between his fingers. "Quatre did this?" he asked.

"Yes, Master," Duo whispered, unsure if it would cause his master anger.

"Practical," Heero murmured, then added. "There will be times when I would have you wear your hair loose."

"As you wish, Master."

Taking note of his slave's clothing Heero's brow furrowed. "Stand up."

Duo obeyed immediately wincing as he drew himself up, then dropping his gaze.

"These are Quatre's clothes?"

"Yes, Master."

"Hmmm. I will have the tailor attend you this afternoon. He will measure you and make you new clothing." Heero studied the slave a little more. "Has the healer attended you?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good. Remove your clothing."

Duo's eyes widened and his mouth opened. "I beg your pardon, Master." He cringed as he realized he'd just questioned his master when he had no right to, surely the punishment would come now. But none did.

"I said, remove your clothing. I wish to see your wounds and make sure they have been attended to." Heero knew he should reprimand the slave for his slip but seeing the cringe of fear he let it pass. He wanted the slave to trust him, care for him like Quatre did for his brother, not fear him. It wouldn't be easy but it should be possible.

Understanding penetrated Duo's mind and he quickly began to strip, carefully placing the discarded garments to one side. When he was completely nude he stood, head bowed with his hands covering his groin and trying to keep the heat from his cheeks.

Heero noticed the modesty and it brought a smile to his face. At least the slave still had spirit. That was good. Heero wanted a slave that while obedient to him, still retained an inner fire. He moved quickly behind the slave and lifting the rope of hair out of the way, he began his inspection of the slave's wounds. His brow furrowed as he noted the damage inflicted upon the creamy skin. There were scars, healing wounds and a myriad of different colored bruises. Gently Heero's fingers wandered over the flesh, feeling the slave jump then shiver and tremble under his fingers. He ignored the reaction, more intent on studying the damage. He worked over the back and down to Duo's buttocks and thighs. He was pleased to note that the skin was less marked.

"Lift your feet."

The slave did as he was told lifting first his left and then his right foot. His master made an annoyed sound deep in his throat when he saw the state of the slave's feet. Heero moved to the front of the slave, eyes wandering over the face with its downcast eyes, pleased to note that the face had been spared the beatings endured by the rest of the body. His gaze traveled over the slender throat, rough, red and chafed from the ill fitting collar that Quatre had removed. Next he took in the muscular chest, some bruising and scarring was there, but not as much as what the back bore. "Put your hands by your side," Heero commanded.

Duo obeyed and closed his eyes. He didn't know why he was feeling so embarrassed. After all Quatre had bathed him last night and this man was his master, he owned his body and his life; but Duo's soul and spirit were his own.

Heero's eyes continued their journey over his slave's body, the bruising and scarring was less again over the abdomen and upper thighs. Heero couldn't help but pause to stare intently at the slave's groin. Despite the damage inflicted on the slave's body, Duo was still a very desirable and good looking man. Heero was hesitant to use the word beautiful. Handsome definitely. Soft brown curls graced the young slave's groin, the flaccid penis resting over a nice sac and Heero found himself warming with the sight. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had to explain to his slave his new duties, what was expected of him. He wondered if Duo had any idea exactly what duties were expected of a personal slave. While Heero would be married in a few short weeks and expected to produce an heir, he knew in his own heart that regardless of how good looking his bride and future Queen was, she would never have the beauty of the slave before him. "You may dress then come by the fire." Heero said the words quietly but firmly and while his slave retrieved his clothes Heero lifted a box from the mantle above the fireplace then sat in the large chair, box resting in his lap.

Duo was relieved to be able to get dressed. The close scrutiny of his tortured body had made him uncomfortable, but when his master had inspected the front of his body, for some unknown reason Duo felt himself grow hot. It wasn't all due to embarrassment, but Duo couldn't figure out what else had caused his discomfort. Having dressed completely he moved across the room and knelt beside his master's chair curious as to what lay in the box his master held.

"Look at me."Duo slowly raised his eyes to his master's face.

"I have a gift for you." Heero opened the box and removed one of the contents. Shutting the lid he placed the object on top and returned his attention to Duo. "As you are now my personal slave you will wear my adornments. That will also inform others whom you belong to and as such you are to be left alone." Heero picked up the gold collar and passed it to Duo to look at. "This will be your new collar; however, I will not put it on you until your neck has healed sufficiently."

Duo took the collar and studied it. The gold sparkled in the firelight, rich and radiant. Its circumference was studded with diamonds and sapphires and the inside trimmed with soft fur. Gently Duo caressed it. He'd never seen anything so beautiful; and it was _his_ collar. "It's beautiful, master. I will be honored to wear it."

Duo lifted the collar to his neck, about to put it on when his master's hand stopped him. "No, Duo. Not until your neck has healed sufficiently. Maybe in a few days."

Duo looked from the collar to his master and back to the collar. "Thank you, Master. No one has ever cared about my comfort before." Duo felt a lump in his throat at his new master's obvious care and concern for him. Maybe, maybe he could let himself hope a little that this place would be better than the others.

Heero took the collar from his slave and ran his finger over Duo's cheek. "I told you, Duo, I will not hurt you. I am a fair and just master. I expect obedience and fulfillment of my wishes from my slaves, also loyalty and trust." Heero's eyes fixated on his slave. "The first two I know you will give me but the other two will need to be earned."

Duo processed the words, understanding what his master was saying. Obedience and submission to his master he could give, no doubt about that, but loyalty and trust... Yes, they were something that would come, given time.

"I do not believe in undue punishment. I do not believe in beating slaves, however, that does not mean I won't apply discipline should the need arise."

Duo looked up sharply.

"I prefer to discipline my slaves in other ways, non violent ways." Heero left the statement hanging in the air, not deliberating any further and Duo knew better than to ask what his master meant. He'd file that away and ask Quatre about it later.

Heero reached into the box again. This time he brought out what looked like four bracelets. Duo looked curiously at them. "Give me your wrists."

Duo complied and Heero snapped the amulets on his wrists, one on each of them. "Now your ankles." The other two were placed just above the ankle. Duo inspected them closely. They were the same as the collar only broader. Gold bands around two inches in width and encircled with diamonds and sapphires, the inside trimmed with fur.

"You will wear them at all times. Only remove them to bathe. The same will apply to your collar once I fit it to your neck."

Duo looked again at the bracelets that adorned his pale skin. "Thank you, Master, they are beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you."

Duo looked up in shock as his master spoke. His master's hand reached out and caressed his cheek. Then his master did something totally unexpected.

His master kissed him.

tbc...


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time to play with and return them a whole lot happier, ne?

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Sap, angst, bondage, slavery, Yaoi, Lemon, lime, het, violence, dark, fluff, AU, OOC.

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 1xR, 2xR

Archive: gundam-wing-diaries. 150m. com and gundam-wing-diaries, foreverfandom. net

Summary: Heero is the eldest son of the King of Colonia. His 21st birthday is approaching and as tradition dictates his betrothed is soon to arrive. However he is also bound by tradition to select his own personal slave. The events that unfold lead him down a path that not only tests his sanity but his humanity and love as well.

Author's Note: This fic was started back in 2004 and has languished on my hard drive ever since, only sporadically being added to when I have the time (and the muse the inclination) . Updates will be far between, but rest assured, it **will** be finished. Feed back is most welcome as are honest critiques. Flames will be dealt with as I deal with all flames – with sarcasm.

Commenced July 2004 – published January 2008 on the Gundam Wing Diaries site.

* * *

My apologies for delay in posting and replying to reviews - my internet connection is still playing up and is sporadic in when and how long it hooks on for. The problem has been discovered - a fault in an outside line, but it's now a case of waiting until the telecommunications company decides they will come out and fix it. *sigh*

Meanwhile, enjoy!

"Bound, Bonded and Betrayed"

January. 2008 ShenLong

Chapter 5

The movement of his master's lips against his own at first shocked and stunned Duo. But when they departed he felt... bereft? His lips tingled from the touch and his body shivered. Why had his master kissed him? Never in all his short life could he remember any of his masters ever being kind to him and certainly not one of them had ever kissed him. In fact, Duo had never been kissed at all.

It was too much for his mind to cope with right now. All that had happened to him over the past twenty four hours came rushing back and he felt the darkness closing in as his body swayed. Then strong arms surrounded him and he was carefully picked up and carried through to another room. Through the haze in his mind he felt a soft mattress meet his back and he relaxed. A concerned voice broke through the fog and slowly his head began to clear.

"Duo, are you okay?"

Duo blinked his eyes a couple of times and stared into the deep blue depths of his master's concerned eyes. He then became aware of his surroundings. He was lying on his master's bed with his master beside him. _Damn! He'd almost passed out_. He gulped and tried to scramble away, but his master's strong grip stopped him.

"Duo, are you okay?" Heero repeated, watching his slave with worried eyes.

"Yes. I - I'm sorry, master. I will take whatever punishment you see fit," Duo said quietly as he stilled in his struggles.

Heero sighed and released the slave. "There will be no punishment. I should have known better. Your body and mind have been traumatized and are still healing. You're underfed, hurt and abused and a lot has happened to you this past day and night."

"No, master. It is I that is at fault." Duo lowered his voice. "I am your slave and it is my duty to serve you in any way that you wish. I should be stronger and able to function regardless. I am yours to do with as you see fit."

Those few simple words tore at Heero's soul, that this slave had been conditioned to the point where he didn't seem to care what happened to him didn't sit well with the young heir. Heero decided to change the subject. He could work on *that* problem later. "Sit up."

Duo did as requested, relieved that he wasn't going to be punished and that he had an order to obey.

"I will explain your duties to you."

"Thank you, master."

"As you already know I am Prince Heero, heir to the throne of Colonia. My future bride and queen will be arriving in three weeks and we are to be married two weeks after that. It is also tradition that as my bride is selected for me so I may be allowed to select my own personal slave; and I have chosen you, Duo."

"I am honored, master."

"The role of my personal slave is to look after me in all ways. You will be required to attend to my personal needs which will include bathing me, assisting me to dress when I require it, accompanying me when I travel out if I wish it to name a few. Also you will be responsible for looking after my chambers, seeing that they are kept neat and tidy. One of the girls will see to the cleaning." Heero looked at Duo to see how he was taking all this. So far he seemed to accept everything. Heero decided to lay it all on the line, let the slave know the _full_ extent of his duties. "I will also require you to satisfy other bodily needs of mine from time to time as well as keep my bed warm."

The silence could be cut with a knife.

Duo's mind slowly processed what he'd just been told. The general care of his master and his chambers he knew he could do without a doubt, but... bed warmer? Bodily needs? Duo wasn't too sure what exactly his master was wanting from him in that department. He was quite lacking when it came to that side of the coin, having been literally slave labor all his life. He'd been too sore, too tired or injured for the thought of sex to enter his head. Whilst he had a small glimmer of knowledge, he really didn't understand properly.

Heero could see the confusion in the slave's eyes. "I will have Quatre explain everything to you, then if you have any questions we will discuss this further."

"Yes, master."

"For now though I will show you my chambers, where things are kept and what I expect of you whilst here."

Duo dutifully followed his master about the chambers, gasping in awe at the many different sets of clothing his master owned. Soon he knew his way around his master's rooms and found himself once more in the sitting area.

"Do you have any questions?" Heero asked.

"No, master."

"Good. I have some work to attend to at my desk. I wish for you to remain by my side until Quatre returns for you."

"As you wish, master." Duo followed his master to the large writing desk that sat in the corner of the room. His master sat and began his task of sorting through the many sheets of paper upon his desk, Duo knelt at his side, soon relaxing back on his haunches and letting his mind wander while his master worked.

Why had his master kissed him? Why had it sent tingles through his lips and shivers down his spine? What did his master want from him when he said bodily needs? The more Duo thought, the more confused he became. Eventually he gave up thinking, opting instead to remember how nice it had felt to have his master kiss him. As he knelt beside his master, every so often Heero's hand would drop and either caress his cheek or pet his head gently.

Duo's eyes closed with pleasure at the soft touch. He'd never received touches like this before, only ever a hard slap or belt with whatever his master had handy at the time. The tiny spark of hope that had flared in his heart began to strengthen and grow into a small flame.

A knock at the door broke the quiet solitude and Duo looked at his master, his master nodded to him so Duo stood up and moved across the room to open the door. Hilde stood on the other side, a tray in her hands.

"Prince Heero's lunch," she stated quietly and stepped inside the room as Duo opened the door wider for her. She strode over to the small table in the sitting room and placed the tray upon it before turning to curtsey before the prince. "Would you like anything else, sire?"

"No, thank you, Hilde. Oh, sorry, there is one thing."

"Yes, sire?"

"Would you please inform the tailor I wish to speak with him after lunch? Have him bring his measure with him; I will be requiring a wardrobe of clothing for my slave."

"Yes, sire." With another curtsey Hilde left the room.

"Please bring the tray to my desk, Duo. I will eat here as I continue my work."

Duo did as requested, picking up the tray and placing it on the desk, then he resumed his former position, kneeling by his master's side. His stomach rumbled softly and his mouth watered with the delicious smells that were coming from the covered tray. He quickly forced all thoughts of food away.

A gentle tap to his head had him looking up at the amused face of his master.

"Surely you didn't think that I would eat and not feed you?" Heero said.

Duo lowered his eyes, unable to meet his master's gaze as that had been _exactly_ what he'd been thinking.

"I told you before, I am not a cruel man. I will not deny you food or water." While Heero knew that Duo would have a lot of adjusting to do he couldn't help but feel a little frustrated with his slave's lack of trust in him. "Here." Heero gently pressed the piece of fish against Duo's lips, Duo automatically opening his mouth and the food was slipped inside.

He hung his head in shame, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment that he'd dared to think that his master wouldn't feed him. But then Duo had suffered before like this, had food placed before him only to have it taken away seconds later. It was hard to let go of that wariness, the distrust; as much as he wanted too. He chewed the piece of fish as his mind processed his life now. He swallowed and moments later Heero's fingers were back with another tasty morsel for him.

And so the meal continued, Heero feeding his slave and Duo eager to be fed. When the plates were clean, Duo moved the tray back to the table, then settled once more by his master's side. He found himself enjoying the quiet of the chambers; it was completely different to his former existence where the sound of machinery, animals and the other slaves were the constant companion to his ears. His master's hand dropped to caress his cheek and Duo leaned into the touch; then he raised his own hand and caught his master's wrist before the hand had a chance to leave. Quickly he pressed a kiss to the back of it and then released the hand, cowering a bit as he waited for the blow to fall for being so forward, but he'd wanted to let his master know he appreciated the touch and that was the only way he could think of.

Instead of a blow or reprimand all he got was a chuckle of amusement and he dared to look up through his bangs. "Master?"

Heero smiled at him and then ran a hand over his head. "It's going to take time, Duo, but I think that you and I are going to get along just fine."

His master's words warmed Duo and he felt the flame of hope burn a little brighter.

#

Duo had begun to doze lightly, leaning against his master's chair when a knock at the door awoke him. He looked at the door and then at his master, unsure if he should rise and open the door or not.

Heero solved the problem for him. "Enter."

The door opened and a small man came into the room.

"Ahh, G. I have need of your tailoring skills."

"I am at your service, Prince Heero."

"As you may be aware, I have obtained a personal slave. He requires outfitting."

"Yes, sire."

"Please, measure him and have the outfits made as soon as possible. He will require a wardrobe of normal daily clothing, two sets of ceremonial wear and a few other items, things along the lines of what Quatre has in his wardrobe. Oh, I would also have you make him some slippers. His feet are sorely damaged so something very soft and warm would be of benefit to him now, other slippers for later once his feet have healed if you please."

"As you wish, sire."

Heero turned to where Duo still knelt. "Duo, arise and let G take your measurements."

Duo rose slowly and gracefully from his position and moved towards where the royal tailor stood. Heero watched, feeling a tug in his chest at the sheer beauty and grace of the slave, despite his terrible past. Leaving the tailor to take his measurements, Heero returned to the paperwork that he had yet to finish.

Soon the tailor was done. He had the measurements written down and after a brief discussion with the prince in regards to colors and fabrics, he left. Duo returned to his position, kneeling beside his master. Not long after, Heero finished and turned to his slave.

"Quatre will call for you shortly. I will have him explain to you what the more personal requirements of your service to me will entail." Heero smiled softly and cupped the cheek of his slave. "Tomorrow you will start your duties as my personal slave. I expect you to be here in my chambers just after sun up to help me to dress. I will be taking my breakfast with my parents so you will go to the kitchens for yours and return to me afterwards when I summons you. You will meet with my parents later, once you have healed sufficiently."

Duo felt a small knot of fear find its way into his stomach.

"The tailor will make up your clothing but until it is ready continue to borrow from Quatre."

Duo didn't want to leave his new master. He'd finally begun to relax around the man and found he enjoyed his company, unlike any of his previous masters whose company he'd avoid at all costs. A knock on the door signaled Quatre's arrival for him. Duo lowered his eyes and bowed before his master. "I look forward to serving you, master," he said quietly but with sincerity.

Heero stepped forwards and placed a finger under Duo's chin, forcing him to look up and meet his eyes. "I will see you in the morning, Duo." Heero leaned forward, unable to resist and kissed Duo again.

The kiss was a little deeper and longer than the last one and Duo found himself floundering as his body responded to the gentle touch of lips against his own. Then Heero was gone, opening the door to admit and speak with Quatre. By the time Duo's senses had returned, the blonde slave was leading him out of the room.

They traveled the halls in silence, Duo's mind processing all that he'd experienced so far that day. Quatre, sensing the other slave had a lot to think about, remained quiet. When they arrived back at their chambers, Quatre fetched the jar of ointment and motioned for Duo to remove his shirt. As he spread the ointment over Duo's healing wounds he was once again saddened by the abuse Duo had suffered and obviously accepted as a part of his life. He wondered how best to approach and explain to Duo what Prince Heero had asked him to.

He decided to leave it until after dinner.

Both Prince Heero and Prince Trowa were dining with their parents, no doubt for the king and queen to find out more about the young slave the heir had selected for himself. Quatre knew it would only be a matter of time before Prince Heero would be expected to present his new slave to his parents for their approval. He hoped that the amount of time Duo had before meeting the king and queen would be enough not only for him to have healed sufficiently, but also long enough for him to lose some of his skittishness. Having finished with the ointment for now, Quatre capped the jar and placed it to the side then faced the quiet slave.

"Come, it is nearly dinner time. Let us see if you can find your way to the kitchens."

Duo stood up and followed Quatre out of the door, then it was up to him to choose the way. He didn't falter and found the kitchens easily. His body may have been damaged but his mind was still quick.

Quatre was pleased to note how Duo managed to find his way relatively easily. The sharp mind of the long haired slave would no doubt prove to be an asset to him and his new master.

They entered the kitchen and sat at the table; soon they were joined by Dorothy and Cathy, Noin was busy serving up the food for the family, Hilde also occupied by serving the meal to the royals; they would eat later.

Duo was once more amazed at the amount of food on the table, but this time he made sure to eat his food slower than before, feeling a little more confident that his food wouldn't be taken from him. The meal was a simple one; a thick, hearty beef stew. Duo had never tasted anything so delicious. Vegetables of all kinds jostled with chunks of meat in a thick, rich gravy. There were thick slices of bread upon the table to accompany the stew, something Duo was pleased to note and managed to put away several slices, mopping up the gravy and savoring the tastes that danced across his tongue.

Quatre and the others were amused to say the least with the amount of food the new slave managed to put away, but no one said anything, all of them fully aware of Duo's past since Quatre had given them a basic outline of the slave's former life. Noin in particular was pleased to hear that the young man ate so well. She was determined to get some 'meat' on his bones.

With the meal over, Duo and Quatre returned to their quarters and Quatre knew he had to bring up the subject of the slave and his duties to Master Heero. Carefully he began a conversation. "Tell me, Duo. How do you find your new master?"

Duo looked up from where he was sitting on his bed, his mind still processing his day. "He's, different. He doesn't exactly treat me like a slave. He's..." Duo struggled to find words.

"Kind?" offered Quatre.

That word seemed to sum up his master. "Yes, kind. I like him. You know, Quatre, he didn't hit me once today."

Quatre felt his chest constrict with those words. To have Duo measure the quality of his day and evaluate his master by the amount of punishment he received made him sad. "Prince Heero is not a cruel man. I told you, Duo, he's a very fair and just man who does not punish for the sake of it. He will only punish you when punishment is due and even then he will make sure that the punishment fits the indiscretion."

Duo recalled the pleasant time he'd spent with his master, the gentle petting as opposed to the harsh beatings. "Will he always be kind to me, like he was today?"

"As long as you serve him without question, he will always be kind to you, Duo," Quatre replied.

"I think I might like it here."

The words were so soft that Quatre nearly missed them. Quatre moved across the room and picked up the hairbrush. "May I?"

Duo nodded and Quatre settled behind him, unraveling the thick locks, he began to brush. Somehow it helped Duo to relax and become easier to talk to while his hair was being brushed. "So what did your master say your duties will be?"

"I'm to look after him personally, take care of his chambers, help him to bathe and things like that." Duo paused and chewed on his bottom lip. "He also said something about being a bed warmer and satisfying other bodily needs; but I don't understand what he meant. He said you would explain it all to me." Duo turned and looked over his shoulder at the blonde. "Would you? I mean, can you tell me what it is he means? What he wants?"

Quatre paused in his brushing for a moment. "Of course I will, Duo. Or at least I will try my best to."

"Thank you." Duo turned his head back around to allow Quatre to continue to brush his hair.

The blonde slave thought about how best to explain all this to the new slave without frightening or confusing him. "When your master said he would like for you to be his bed warmer, he means he wants you to share his bed with him, you know, sleep with him."

"Aa."

"But besides just sleeping with him, he also wants you to 'sleep with him'."

"Huh?"

"That's where I suppose you could say the satisfying the other bodily needs will come into it, although not always in the bed..."

"Quatre?"

"Yes?"

"I still don't understand."

Quatre sighed and braided Duo's hair. "I'm not really doing a very good job of explaining this, am I?"

Duo gave a small laugh. "No, you're not."

Chewing on his bottom lip for a moment, Quatre paused to re-evaluate his method of explaining. He shifted his position to replace the hairbrush on the chest then turned back to Duo who had laid down upon his bed, on his side, propping his head in his hand. Quatre lay down next to him, also supporting his head with his hand. "Duo, do you know what sex is?"

Duo blushed a little at the blunt question. "Umm... Sort of. I mean, I've seen the animals on one of my master's farms when they... you know."

It was becoming painfully obvious to Quatre that Duo was quite naive when it boiled down to the facts of life. "How old are you, Duo?"

"Umm... I'm not too sure. I think around seventeen or eighteen, couldn't tell you for certain."

"Have you ever had sex?"

Duo turned an even darker shade of red. "Isn't that kind of a personal question?"

"Yes, I suppose it is, but, Duo, it will help me a lot with my explanation if you answer my questions."

"Have you had sex?" Duo threw the question back at Quatre.

"Yes, I have. Quite a bit in fact," replied Quatre. "Now, Duo, have you had sex?"

"No." Duo lowered his eyes. "My masters forbade anything like that amongst the slaves."

"Okay. Another question for you. Have you ever jerked yourself off?"

"Pardon?" Duo's violet eyes raised and stared at Quatre, confusion clearly written there.

"Jerked yourself off, you know, touched yourself, played with yourself until you've come?"

Duo swallowed. "No," he whispered.

"Shit! You've never?"

"No!" Duo repeated his answer a little stronger this time. He was becoming a little annoyed with the line of questioning. Not to mention even more embarrassed.

"Have you ever had a wet dream?" Quatre was finding it hard to believe that Duo had never explored his own body.

"A what?"

That took Quatre by surprise. "A wet dream. Where you wake up in the morning all sticky and wet because you had nice dreams that aroused you."

"Not that I know of." Duo frowned.

"Well I'll be damned! You can get it up, can't you? I know all your equipment is there, I saw for myself when bathing you yesterday." Quatre shook his head in disbelief.

"My masters did not allow anything at all along the lines of a sexual nature. If a slave was caught... touching either himself or someone else he was severely punished." Duo shuddered. "I remember watching the master one day. One of the other slaves was... *up*, as you put it. I didn't know why or anything, but the master noticed." Duo shuddered again and tears began to form in his eyes. "I thought the normal beatings we got were bad, but... I can still hear his screams, Quatre, they flogged him... there." Duo turned pale as the memory came back. The slave had returned, bloody, covered with welts and so damaged that he'd died a few days later, in agony.

Quatre shifted, a little uncomfortable with the way the conversation had changed; no wonder Duo had no interest in sex. Carefully he reached out and put his hand on Duo's arm, ignoring the flinch at the contact. He began to caress the skin softly. "Duo, you have no fear of being punished like that here. Our masters are not like that and I know it's going to take time for you to believe that and trust that what I'm telling you is true." Quatre gave the trembling slave a smile. "Part of your duties here as Prince Heero's personal slave will be to satisfy him sexually." Quatre decided that the direct approach was the best given what he'd just learnt of Duo's past and experiences. While it might be blunt, Duo was just going to have to accept it.

"H-how do you mean?" Duo's voice shook a little.

"The prince is a virile young man and while he will be getting married soon, he still requires that certain needs be taken care of now and possibly even after he weds."

Duo arched an eyebrow. "Do you assist your master with his needs?"

"Yes, yes, I do." Quatre's voice audibly softened as he spoke of his master. "I'm a personal slave also, Duo. It's my place to look after my master in anyway he wishes me to."

Duo chewed on that for a moment.

"It's not as bad as you might think, Duo. In fact, it can be, and usually is, very enjoyable for both our masters and ourselves."

"But what exactly _is_ it that I'm expected to do?" Despite his fear, Duo wanted to please his master. He'd enjoyed the quiet time and soft caresses his master had given him that day and he wanted to experience that all the time.

Quatre let his hand drift casually from caressing Duo's arm to run softly along his side. "You will be expected to use your body to satisfy your master. Sometimes your hands, sometimes your mouth; and sometimes your master will want to make love to you."

"Make love to me?"

"Yes. You said you knew what sex was, when two creatures couple together?"

"Yes; but Quatre, they're male and female. I might just be a simple slave here but I do know the difference between the two. Prince Heero, he's a male and I'm also a male, I don't exactly have the equipment of a female for my master to make love to me." Duo's violet eyes looked at the blonde as if Quatre was a bit dense.

Quatre chuckled softly. "I know that both you and Prince Heero are male, but two males can also join together and enjoy sex the same as a male and female do. Prince Trowa often makes love to me."

Duo frowned. "I don't get it. How..."

Quatre let his hand rub over Duo's hip and rear end. He traced his fingers along the cleft of Duo's ass, finding the small, virgin entrance through the fabric of Duo's pants. "Here, Duo. This is where two males join and make love."

"Oh."

Quatre continued to stroke his fingers softly up and down Duo's cleft while he waited for the information to sink in.

"But wouldn't that hurt? I mean, I know what comes out - but to put something else in, something that's much bigger than what exits, that's got to be painful, not enjoyable." Duo blushed a little at his own, blunt words.

Smiling softly, Quatre looked at Duo. "No, not if it's done properly. For your master to take you, you need to be prepared first, stretched to enable your body to accept your master. There is usually some measure of discomfort, but there shouldn't be any pain. Prince Heero would not take you without you being thoroughly prepared first, especially as you are a virgin as well. No, your master will want for you to enjoy it as much as he will."

Duo was satisfied with the information for now. He figured he could always ask Quatre more about that later. For now though he wanted to know a little more about the hands and mouth bit that Quatre had mentioned. Small shivers were running through his body as Quatre's fingers continued to trace along his cleft and an unusual warm feeling began to steal over him. "You also said something about pleasing my master with my hands and mouth."

"Aa." Quatre knew that had been coming. "Duo?"

"Yes?"

"It might be easier for me to explain this to you by showing you at the same time. Don't worry," he added hastily as he saw Duo pale, "Prince Heero has asked me to explain to you and to teach you what you need to know. You will not be punished for this."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me, Duo. I haven't done anything to cause you pain or get you into trouble so far, have I?"

"No."

"Then trust me with this."

"Okay."

"Good. This is going to be a lot easier if you remove your clothes..."

tbc...


End file.
